Members of Organised Labour have resolved to proceed with the nationwide strike on October 10 despite being urged by President Akufo-Addo to give him more time to address their concern during a meeting on October 4.
Spokesperson of Organised Labour Joshua Ansah said in Accra on October 7 that they will not back down.
Meanwhile Government has three working days to prevent the strike.
The Organised Labour meeting was held behind closed doors.
3news sources indicate that it was extremely heated among members who had pushed for an immediate strike.
But the leadership insisted that it will proceed on the strike on October 10 as stated.
According to Joshua Ansah the strike will happen if government does not ban illegal mining.
“We had a discussion, we said by the tenth of October if nothing has been done there will be a nationwide strike.”
“Our strike remains unchanged; we are of the view that what the government has proposed to do does not adequately address our demands and therefore our notice of strike remains unchanged.”
“The president discussed the issues with us and our demand is that and what he is able to do is what he has told us, if nothing happens, we will proceed with our strike,” he stressed.
Other labour union leaders asked President Akufo-Addo to announce the total ban before Thursday October 10.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers Union, Abdul Moomin Gbana asked the president to act swiftly.
“I believe that all Ghanaians are solidly behind the campaign against galamsey and so he will enjoy the support of entire country once he supports the fight against galamsey by taking those necessary actions and we are counting on him to do so, and we believe that he can, and he must,” he said.
The General Secretary of the Construction and Building Material Workers Union, Richard Asamoah, asked government to make a bold decision on the galamsey.
“It is like the government is not listening to us. We have sent series of notices to your outfit to the extent that you had a committee headed by Mr Kan Dapaah,” he said.
Mr Asamoah added, “Ever since we met them, they have not made concrete decision, so we are saying that the government must come out to say something or we will proceed with our strike.”
The General Secretary of the Teachers and Education Workers Union, King James Azortiba pleaded with government to roll out measures on galamsey now.
“We are mindful that both majority and minority want to use us as scape goat, but we are here purposely to save the lives of our future children,” he stressed.
