Workers
in Kumasi are being mobilized to join in a nationwide action to demonstrate
against the recent hikes in utility tariffs.
Organized
labour has called on the government and the Public Utilities Regulatory
Commission (PURC) to revise the tariff increases within ten days. The ultimatum
expires on Tuesday October 22, 2013.
Chairman
of the Kumasi District Council of Labour, Kofi Asare Asianowa, says workers in
Kumasi are in solidarity with the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC).
“We
are therefore organizing a massive but peaceful demonstration on Thursday in
Kumasi metropolis in protest against the unbearable increases,” he said in a
statement.
The
planned demonstration will culminate with the presentation of a resolution to
the President through the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive.
Mr.
Asianowa tells Luv News the outburst by National Security Advisor, Brigadier
General Nunoo Mensah (retired) for labour to make sacrifices is untenable.
“What
we are calling for is the legitimate rights of the people. He is talking about
sacrifice; a lot of us are really giving the sacrifice already but let’s ask
ourselves, is the executive doing the sacrifice as well?” he quizzed.
The
Labour Chair says the one-time off increment in prices of utilities is too much
a burden for the ordinary Ghanaian.
“We
are saying 78.9percent increase [for electricity] but in actual fact what you
used to buy is either double or beyond double the price… we are not saying that
increment is wrong but we cannot take that quantum; it’s too much for the
ordinary Ghanaian”, said Mr. Asianowa.
Story
by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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