The Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, has sharply criticized the government for neglecting commitments made last year to curb illegal mining and safeguard Ghana’s vital water resources.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on October 13, Dr. Otoo said the government had failed to uphold agreements reached after the union called off its planned strike action in 2024.
“In 2025, you will agree that even with that aborted strike action in 2024, we agreed on a number of things with the government. But it is now clear to everybody that those things we agreed with the government, the government did not keep its part of the bargain,” he stated.
According to Dr. Otoo, the illegal mining menace, popularly known as galamsey, has worsened despite repeated promises from the authorities. He noted that while the issue might not directly affect the daily concerns of workers, such as wages and salaries, its impact on the nation’s environment and water supply is a major threat to all citizens.
“If it’s galamsey, there are some people who may think that it is far removed from them, even though that might be a myopic view, but it is what it is,” he observed.
Dr. Otoo explained that unions are traditionally structured to address bread-and-butter issues like pay and working conditions, making it challenging to rally collective action around broader national issues such as illegal mining.
“So the point I’m making is that if it is not a core issue, like wages and salaries for which unions are trained and for whose unions actually were established to address, it is always difficult to maintain unity around those issues,” he added.
The TUC’s renewed concern comes amid growing fears that Ghana could face a severe water crisis if illegal mining continues unchecked. 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, areas severely affected by pollution from galamsey activities.
Dr. Otoo’s remarks highlight rising frustration within the labor movement over the government’s perceived inaction despite multiple pledges to clamp down on illegal mining, a destructive practice that continues to devastate farmlands, forests, and major water bodies across the country.
