Dr Vishnu Nene Limon Abayateye, a member of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), has submitted a formal petition for the removal of the Association’s President, Dr Frank Serebour, over what has been described as his unilateral decision to have the association boycott the popular industrial action.
This follows Dr Serebour’s directive to members of the Association to continue to work despite Organised Labour’s insistence on its nationwide strike action tomorrow, Thursday, October 10, 2024.
University Teachers Association (UTAG), the Public Service Workers’ Union of TUC (Ghana) among others have directed its members to stay off work starting Thursday, October 10, 2024, until further notice.
However, the GMA president announced that while it stands in solidarity with Organised Labour in the fight against illegal small-scale mining, it will not participate in the planned nationwide strike.
In a press release issued yesterday October 8, following an internal meeting, the GMA president, clarified that the association had not laid out a roadmap for industrial action.
But Dr Abayateye’s petition, also dated yesterday, October 8 and addressed to the General Secretary of the GMA, outlines serious allegations against Dr Serebour, including issuing a statement on behalf of the GMA without consulting the National Executive Council or the General Assembly.
According to him, the unilateral decision, has brought the GMA into disrepute, making the association appear inconsistent in the eyes of the public, especially given its previous stance on illegal mining.
Dr Abayateye, expressed his intention to move a motion for Dr Serebour’s removal at the upcoming annual general assembly meeting in Ho, scheduled from November 3 to 10, 2024. He aims to gather the necessary two-thirds majority support from the general assembly to carry the motion.
Dr Serebour, had emphasized that all members are expected to continue providing full medical services without interruptions.
“The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has not declared a roadmap for industrial action. Therefore, all members are expected to continue providing full services without interruption,” the statement said.
However, the GMA, expressed its solidarity with the broader concerns raised by Organised Labour regarding the devastating effects of galamsey on the environment and livelihoods.
The association acknowledged the need for a collective effort to combat illegal mining, but stated it would not join the upcoming strike.
The release concluded with a note that the National Executive Council (NEC) would provide further updates to members if necessary.
Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Convenor of the Media Coalition Against galamsey, had expressed disappointment with the GMA for distancing itself from Organised Labour’s planned strike action.
Dr Ashigbey voiced concern over the GMA’s decision, stressing the importance of collective action in addressing the galamsey menace, which has severely impacted the environment and public health.
Dr Ashigbey, highlighted the severe health implications of illegal mining, known as galamsey, and urged the GMA to reconsider its stance.
“It is a shame that we have the GMA which was one of those early institutions to have written the need to use various legal and democratic tools to get solutions to a problem which is more medical than anything else…It is quite difficult to see why the GMA would want to dissociate themselves from this action,” Dr Ashigbey stated.
He emphasised the critical health risks posed by galamsey, including water contamination and respiratory issues, which have dire consequences for the population.
Dr Ashigbey, therefore called on the GMA to align with other labour unions in the fight against galamsey, stressing the importance of collective action in safeguarding public health.
“The health implications are really dire and I am hoping that GMA reconsiders their decision but be that it may I think we have a good number of Labour unions…You know posterity will judge all of us on what we did when Ghana was at the point of poisoning itself to extinction-where did people stand fortunately the internet does not forgive neither does it forget,” he added.
But more and more people continue to throw their weight behind the strike action declared by organized labour.
One such group is the University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UG-UTAG).
In a decisive vote, 355 members (80.14%) supported the strike, while 88 members (19.86%) opposed it, out of a total of 443 votes cast.
Professor Ransford Gyampo, President of UG-UTAG, has been vocal about the government’s handling of the galamsey crisis. He had strongly criticised the government’s inaction, citing the need for more decisive measures to combat illegal mining.
His comments, follow a closed-door meeting between President Akufo-Addo and Organised Labour leaders, where the President requested more time to address the issue.
The strike, announced on October 1, is a response to the government’s failure to meet Organised Labour’s demands for a total ban on mining and a state of emergency to combat galamsey.
The Public Service Workers’ Union of TUC (Ghana) has also directed its members to stay off work starting tomorrow, until further notice.
This decision comes after the expiration of Organised Labour’s deadline and the government’s failure to address concerns about illegal mining, also known as galamsey.
In a statement released yesterday, the PSWU, emphasized that the strike is a collective decision made by Organised Labour, of which its members are a part.
The union has notified management and urged them to respect this decision.
“All PSWU members, being part of the TUC (Ghana) and Organized Labour, are directed to stay off work effective Thursday, 10th October 2024, until further notice. Management dealing with the PSWU are hereby notified and implored to respect the decision of Organized Labour.”
The National Executive Committee of the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) has also thrown it weight behind the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Catholic Church in their protest against illegal mining, on Friday, October 11, 2024.
In a statement signed by the GRASAG National Secretariat, it said the association is aligning with the Catholic Church in calling for stronger actions from the government, civil society, and all stakeholders to safeguard Ghana’s lands, water bodies, and natural resources from further destruction.
“As a body of over 100,000 intellectuals and future leaders, GRASAG believes that the ongoing galamsey operations threaten the future of Ghana’s environment, economy, and its citizens at large,” part of the statement read.
The association particularly expressed concern for students, many of whom rely on water from university taps.
“We cannot stand idly while our water bodies are poisoned, farmlands destroyed, and communities left vulnerable,” the statement continued.
In joining the protest, GRASAG reiterated its commitment to promoting responsible and accountable governance.
The association encouraged all Ghanaians to participate in this peaceful demonstration to amplify the urgent call for immediate and effective measures to combat illegal mining.
A group calling itself concerned members of Organised Labour has expressed strong reservations about the proposed nationwide strike and demonstration called by their leadership to compel the government to declare a state of emergency over illegal mining.
According to the group, the National leadership of Organised Labour unilaterally declared the industrial action without engaging local chapters for their views. This unilateral decision they noted raises questions as most of their local members have been sidelined in discussions around the strike.
In a press statement on Monday, October 7, 2024, the Kumasi-based group stated that while they acknowledge the severity of the galamsey issue, they believe the current approach is misguided and politically motivated.
The concerned members alleged that the leadership of Organised Labour, largely comprised of surrogates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is exploiting the issue to score political points.
A leading member of the group, and a member of the Technical University Teachers Association TUTAG, Dr Solomon Forkuo Kwarteng criticised the leadership’s failure to consult the broader membership before threatening a nationwide strike and demonstration, just two months before crucial presidential and parliamentary elections.
They warned that such actions could lead to chaos, unrest, and a further deterioration of the political climate.
The concerned members called on their leadership to suspend strike plans, engage in genuine dialogue with the government, and respect the views of the broader membership.
They urged Organised Labour to focus on addressing workers’ concerns rather than pursuing partisan agendas.
“Galamsey is a national issue requiring a united front, not a tool for political exploitation,” he emphasized.
The group concluded by advocating for a peaceful, responsible, and non-partisan approach to tackling the galamsey menace, prioritizing national unity over political division.
