Union to revive forest workers’ input to union activities

The Timber and Wood Workers’ Union (TWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has started a countrywide consultation programme to raise the input of workers of the Forestry Commission in union activities.

Mr. Joshua Ansah, the Union General-Secretary, told the GNA on the sidelines of a forum in Ho on Monday that the collaboration was expected to revive the esprit-de corps of workers of Forestry Commission and also improve worker-management ties.

Delegates from all the six forestry districts in the Volta Region attended the forum which is first in a series planned for all regions.

He said the need for the rejuvenation of the Forestry Commission’s leadership role in forest conservation would be a crucial issue at the forums.

Mr. Ansah listed networking, career progression, effective grievance handling, supply of uniforms and scheme of service as some other matters being tackled.

Regarding the depleting forest resources, he said all was not lost yet, as a well-coordinated conservation and exploitation plan could still keep Ghana in the timber business.

Mr. Isaac Apetorgbor, the Assistant Volta Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, said the Union’s active support for the mission of the Commission to “leave future generations and their communities with richer, better, more valuable forest and wildlife than inherited was refreshing.”

He called for continued collaboration between organized labour and management of the Commission.

Mr. Apertogbor said the timber sector was still an important player in Ghana’s export trade bringing in $212 million over the past five years.

He said management was doing all it could to improve the lot of workers and demanded that they (workers) reciprocated by working hard.