The three major unions, which were set to launch an indefinite strike on Thursday, October 10, to demand stronger measures against galamsey (illegal gold mining) in Ghana, have decided to call off their planned action. The unions expressed satisfaction with the Government’s new measures to tackle the issue. However, not everyone agrees with this decision.
The government has announced six key initiatives, including increased military resources to combat galamsey, the repeal of regulations allowing mining in forest reserves, and the establishment of specialized courts to address the issue. These promises were made during a meeting with the unions on Tuesday. The measures were deemed sufficient by the union leaders, who decided to withdraw the strike call the following day.
However, this decision has drawn criticism from other unions involved in the movement. The Ghanaian Association of University Professors (UTAG) condemned the withdrawal as arbitrary, stating that it was made without consulting the other unions. In a statement, UTAG noted that the measures presented by the government were no different from those previously discussed, after which the strike had still been planned.
UTAG and other professional organizations held an emergency meeting Wednesday evening to consider further actions, without the support of the three main unions.
Meanwhile, protests against galamsey are expected to continue in the coming weeks, beginning with a demonstration organized by the Catholic diocese this Friday in the capital.