“We Will Be the Conscience of the Nation in Fight Against Galamsey”, Says UTAG as Divisions Emerge Between UTAG and Organized Labor Over Response to Illegal Mining
A rift has emerged between the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and Organized Labor following a tense meeting with the government over illegal mining, or “galamsey,” a significant environmental and economic issue in Ghana.
The meeting, aimed at addressing UTAG’s demands for urgent intervention, ended in discord, with UTAG signaling it may continue its fight against illegal mining independently.
According to the President of UTAG-UG, Ransford Gyampo, two leaders of Organized Labor, Joshua Ansah, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), and Dr. Isaac Bampoe-Addo, the Executive Secretary of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), entered the meeting with a pre-prepared statement urging the suspension of UTAG’s planned strike action.
This move was met with immediate opposition from UTAG representatives, who questioned the appropriateness of announcing such a position without further deliberation. Despite an apology from Mr Ansah and Dr Bampoe-Addo, tensions remained high as the government’s proposed interventions were read out.
UTAG representatives reportedly rejected the new proposals outright, arguing that they were not substantially different from those previously dismissed during an internal meeting held on October 7.
Key among UTAG’s concerns was the lack of a clear and immediate moratorium on mining activities, which the association believes is crucial to allow time for more thorough discussions on the practical steps needed to address illegal mining’s destructive effects.
“We responded that the interventions were not different in substance from the ones we discussed and rejected at our meeting on Monday, 7th October and that, Government should at least place a temporary moratorium on mining for a few days so we can all discuss the practicalities of all the proposals,” said Professor Gyampo.
Despite UTAG’s calls for further dialogue, leadership from Organized Labor refused to entertain additional suggestions and, without warning, invited the media to the meeting room. The pre-written speech was delivered, effectively undermining any chance of consensus within the meeting.
“The meeting was rancorous and acrimonious. It ended in disunity,” noted Professor Gymapo.
Given the widespread support UTAG has received from public universities across Ghana, the association may continue its campaign against illegal mining independently, positioning itself as the sole voice of dissent in the ongoing fight against galamsey.
“Let us (UTAG) brace ourselves to be the only conscience of the nation in the fight against the existential threat that confronts all of us,” added Professor Gyampo.
