Merchant/Fortiz deal: TUC should make their voices heard - Awuku

Aspiring National Youth Organiser of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Awuku has expressed surprise at the silence of Organised labour in the controversial Merchant Bank-Fortiz Deal.

Mr Awuku is of the view that since the Trade Union’s Congress (TUC) and Organised Labour are to represent the interest of Ghanaian workers, their voice should have been heard just like in the case of the utility tariff increment.

TUC is represented by its Secretary General, Kofi Asamoah, on the SSNIT (Social Security and National Insurance Trust) board that approved the deal; ‘hence their voice should be heard’.

SSNIT had agreed to sell Merchant Bank to Fortiz Equity Fund, a private equity fund business for 90 million Ghana cedis.

This takeover has however become controversial as various ‘shady’ angles concerning the transaction are emerging.

Contributing to a panel discussion on ‘Kokrokoo’, Samuel Awuku said: “Organized labour and TUC, should also show interest in this case because they represent workers. I am surprised about the silence; the noisy silence of TUC and organised labour.”