The Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, has accused the government of reneging on key commitments made to the union last year to curb illegal mining and protect Ghana’s water resources.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Otoo said the government had failed to honour agreements reached after the TUC suspended its planned strike in 2024.
“After we called off the strike in 2024, we agreed on several measures with the government. But it’s now clear that those commitments have not been fulfilled,” he stated.
Dr. Otoo warned that the illegal mining menace, popularly known as galamsey, has worsened despite repeated assurances from the authorities.
He noted that although issues like illegal mining may not appear to directly affect workers compared to wages or salaries, the environmental damage poses a serious threat to everyone.
“Some people may think galamsey is far removed from them which is a short-sighted view but the truth is, its impact affects us all,” he said.
Dr. Otoo explained that while unions are primarily built to address bread-and-butter issues such as pay and working conditions, it is still crucial to recognise how environmental degradation ultimately harms livelihoods.
“Unions were created to fight for workers’ economic welfare, so it’s always difficult to sustain unity around issues that are not directly about wages and salaries,” he added.
The TUC’s renewed concern follows weeks of warnings that Ghana could face a major water crisis if the government fails to take decisive action against galamsey operations polluting major rivers and damaging water treatment systems.
The union recently conducted a fact-finding mission to assess the condition of water treatment plants in Kwanyako, Brim, and Akyem in the Central and Eastern Regions.
Dr. Otoo’s remarks reflect growing frustration within the labour front over what the TUC describes as government inaction and broken promises in the fight against illegal mining, a crisis that continues to destroy farmlands, forests, and vital water bodies across the country.
