Organised Labour has decided to proceed with its strike today, Monday, July 15, despite calls to abandon the protest against the sale of a 60 percent stake in four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel, owned by Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong.
Expressing their disapproval of the deal, Organised Labour announced plans for an indefinite strike starting July 15 unless the transaction was stopped. Following significant pressure from various worker unions, SSNIT terminated the deal on Friday, July 12.
In an interview with Bernard Avle on Citi FM’s Citi Breakfast Show, Deputy Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Kenneth Koomson, emphasized the contributions of Ghanaian workers towards the country’s independence. He stated that the strike would continue until the SSNIT board is dissolved.
“Ghana’s independence wouldn’t have been possible without the involvement of workers and politicians should know that. The unity displayed on July 12 is just the tip of the iceberg, and going forward, Organized Labour is going to ensure that the ordinary Ghanaian is well taken care of.
“SSNIT’s function is to ensure social security for the population and so the leadership [of Organized Labour] recognized that the way by which the hotels were being sold was flawed and if you look at the content of the letter, we said we were not going to call off the strike until SSNIT board is dissolved.
Kenneth Koomson further disclosed that an emergency meeting would be held today and an announcement made afterwards.
“We thought that it was important to assemble today to review the letter that has been written by SSNIT and then take a decision and so today will be a day to communicate to the public where we stand today and an announcement will be made afterwards.”
