Ghanaian opposition swears to defend labour laws

The Opposition on Friday said it would not allow violations and subversion of the Labour Law of the country with the sole aim of exploiting workers.

In a statement Mr Abraham Kofi Asante, NDC-MP for Amenfi West and Minority spokesman on Mines and Energy, drew the attention of the government to the abuse of labour laws at the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) Limited, Obuasi in central Ghana.

The statement said on January 19, this year, Ashanti Miners Club, an association of contract workers, petitioned President J.A. Kufuor seeking the redress for several grievances.

It said the workers complained of unlawful termination, payment of half salary to permanent and contract workers and the use of the district labour officer\'s stamp to endorse the new conditions of services for contract workers by the AGC management without the knowledge of the District Labour Officer.

The statement said Mr Asante had earlier raised an intended strike by the workers in Parliament, but the situation still persists and could degenerate into an industrial action.

\"All that the workers are demanding is equal work, equal pay and also for the labour laws of the country to be complied with by the management of AGC-Obuasi,\" it explained.

It said it has become necessary to once again draw the attention to the plight of workers of AGC-Obuasi the single richest goldmine in the world.

The statement said \"we have sworn to defend the constitution of the Republic of Ghana and we will fail in our duty if we do not ensure that prompt action is taken to save our number one foreign exchange earning company to enjoy the industrial harmony it deserves for increased productivity and growth.\"