Organised Labour has firmly denied claims that its leadership was financially compromised by the government following the decision to cancel the nationwide strike planned for October 10, 2024.
The strike was intended to pressure the government into taking stronger action against illegal mining, or galamsey.
Allegations surfaced after the strike was called off, accusing organised labour of accepting bribes in exchange for abandoning the protest.
In response, King Ali Awudu, President of the Coalition of Concern Teachers (CCT) and a prominent figure in organised labour, dismissed the accusations as groundless, insisting that the decision was based on real progress made during negotiations with the government.
Awudu highlighted that within just a month of their involvement, the government had committed to revoking the Legislative Instrument (LI) that permits mining in forest reserves—a significant step in the fight against galamsey.
“Some people are quick to accuse when opinions differ, but let’s be clear: many organisations have raised concerns about galamsey, including the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, which has been calling for the LI’s revocation since December 2023.
The government didn’t respond until organised labour stepped in. Now, they’ve committed to revoking the LI. Why would we continue to strike when this is exactly what we wanted?” Awudu questioned.
He stressed that the cancellation of the strike was based on achieving tangible results, not financial incentives.
According to him, the quick government response to their demands proved the effectiveness of their approach, making the strike unnecessary.
Despite the accusations, organised labour maintains that its focus remains on holding the government accountable for ending galamsey and that the progress so far is evidence of their commitment, not a result of corruption.