Government urged to rectify Convention

The General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) Samuel Kangah has called on the Government to rectify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on health and safety of agricultural workers and farmers.

He further called on the Government to establish extension units of the Cocobod to be able to effectively link with cocoa farmers to increase production.

Kangah who made the call at the Eastern Regional Delegates Conference of GAWU at Koforidua on Thursday, urged the Government to reverse the policy of the sale and monitoring of cocoa inputs from Cocobod to a separate body.

He, however, commended the government for the control of pests and diseases and hoped that the mass spraying exercise of cocoa would be a permanent feature.

Kangah asked the government to take a bold decision as it did in the increase of fuel prices to come out with income policy to remunerate workers with market value salaries to offset some of the financial problems.

The Eastern Regional Secretary of the TUC, Sister Francisca Borkor Bortey called on the members of the TUC to be steadfast in their relationship with the movement.

She cautioned that "the material gains as a unionist is minimal but gains which money cannot buy is in abundance," adding that Ghana's trade unions are noted universally, especially in Africa.

Sister Bortey noted with satisfaction, GAWU's leadership and patriotism, which made them to quickly react to moves by the authorities to release forest reserves for mining purposes.

In an address read for him, the Eastern Regional Director of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), J.Y Addokpo mentioned institutional weaknesses, lack of appropriate incentives, infrastructure limitations, input availability and access as some of the problems and constrains militating against agricultural development and food security in Ghana.

He, however, said the MOFA's policies and measures towards the attainment of food security are to increase agricultural production to ensure good quality nutritious food.