Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, has urged organised labour to go ahead with their planned strike, stating that it would be “extremely unwise” for them to back down at this stage.
His comments come in response to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s request for labour leaders to postpone the strike set for October 10, promising to address their concerns.
In an interview with 3FM’s Beatrice Adu on Midday Live, October 4, Cudjoe expressed doubt about the president’s commitment to resolving the matter.
“It would be extremely unwise for organized labor to pull back now. I mean, pull back for how many days for the President to do what? This is the same President who boasted he would deal with this issue. I don’t think the President cares anymore; he stopped caring a long time ago,” he stated.
Cudjoe argued that immediate action is necessary to address the illegal mining crisis and protect Ghana’s natural resources.
He suggested that the first step should be the issuance of a moratorium to temporarily halt illegal mining activities, particularly in protected areas such as forests and reserves.
“A moratorium would be useful in the reserves and forests where this illegal mining is happening. We’re not asking for a total ban—just a one-month suspension to clear out the illegal miners. But will it happen? No,” Cudjoe remarked.
A moratorium, he explained, is a temporary suspension or delay of an activity, often declared by a government to address urgent issues.
Cudjoe believes this is a more effective step than merely organizing demonstrations.
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