Labour analyst Austin Gamey has voiced strong criticism of the government in light of the recent unrest within Ghana’s labour sector.
He attributes the wave of industrial actions—led by various worker unions such as TUSAAG, FUSAAG, and NCCE—to the government’s failure to address outstanding allowances owed to union members.
This negligence, he argues, has left many workers feeling undervalued and overlooked.
Mr Gamey pointed out that the government appears more preoccupied with its own interests rather than tackling the pressing grievances of the labour force.
He noted that the current political climate, particularly with the 2024 general elections approaching, has seen political parties diverting substantial funds towards campaign efforts instead of prioritizing the resolution of workers’ issues.
In an interview with on Sunday, he emphasized that the government’s lack of attention to these concerns is fostering discontent among workers, leading to an increase in strikes and unrest.
Mr Gamey expressed his fear that without prompt action, Ghana could witness further escalations in industrial actions, exacerbating the turmoil in its labour landscape.
He urged the government to take immediate steps to engage with the affected unions and address their grievances to restore confidence among workers.
Mr Gamey believes that failing to resolve these issues will not only strain relations between the government and the workforce but also hinder national progress.
“But I think their actions also give an impression to the workers concerned that as if they don’t care about them. Because you are busily campaigning, they see people spending money because you’re going and coming on fuel and you eat, you sleep.”
“And it is not just 10 people. Hundreds of people are in the bush doing that. It is a lot of money so obviously the people will feel embittered. And that is the reason why the strikes are becoming rampant. And we will get even worse in the coming weeks. So we just have to find ways and means of dealing with the matter without delay,” he stated.
