PETTY TRADERS, PORK PROCESSORS MAKE ASH MAY DAY UNIQUE
The regional
celebration of this year’s May Day was held in Kumasi with hundreds of
unionized employees from both the public and private sectors taking part in the
activities commemorating the occasion.
What made this year’s regional Workers Day unique was the active participation
of workers from the informal sector or self-employed including pork processors,
petty traders, hairdressers and barbers.
Important to note is the fact that,
contrary to rumours that teachers were to boycott the Workers Day in protest
against a government’s freeze on the payment of salaries of workers who were
unable to register biometrically with the SSNIT beginning from last month,
members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers and the Coalition of
Concerned Teachers fully participated in the celebration.
The participating
workers first converged on the premises of the Central Post Office at Adum from
where they enthusiastically processed through selected major streets of the regional
capital amidst brass band music and dance and ended at the Jubilee Park where
they were joined by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, his
Deputy, Madam Elizabeth Agyemang, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Osei
Assibey Antwi and members of the Regional Security Council.
The workers carried
placards some of which read : “Railways Company Needs Competent Board of
Directors”, “Mr. President Thank You for
Fighting Galamsey”, “Reduce Income Tax”, “Teachers Need their Full Arrears”, “We
Need Power to Work”, “The 2017 Budget is Railways friendly” and “Working
as Casual for 10 Years, Is it Fair”.
A number of selected workers, mostly union
leaders were rewarded as hard workers during the year under review and were
presented with assorted prizes including double-door refrigerators.
The Acting
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, Emmanuel Asenso
was adjudged the overall Regional Best Worker.
In his address, the Regional
Minister, Simon Osei Mensah commended highly the contribution of the GTUC in
particular towards the national socio-economic development since its formation
in 45.
Mr. Osei Mensah noted that the theme of the celebration, “Mobilizing for
Ghana’s Future through the Creation of Decent Jobs” is in line with
government’s agenda to build the most business-friendly and people-centered
economy which creates jobs and prosperity for all Ghanaians.
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