10 LABOUR GROUPS IN BAWKU THREATEN TO WITHDRAW SERVICES (PAGE 20, JAN 18, 2010)

Ten labour groups in the Bawku municipality have threatened to withdraw their services by the first of February, this year, if nothing is done to improve on the security situation in the conflict-prone area.
The threat follows the death of an assistant chief medical assistant, Mr Roger Alenga, on December 31, 2009 and whose body is still at the mortuary of the Bolgatanga Government Hospital awaiting burial.
“Government should note seriously that the protracted insecurity situation in the Bawku Traditional Area has generated lack of hope among organised labour hence government should, without delay, act swiftly to ensure a peaceful environment; otherwise workers in the municipality would lay down their working tools by 1st February, 2010 or take the necessary steps to relocate any moment from now without notice.”
The threat was contained in a petition issued last Friday to the chairman of the Regional Security Council and copied to the heads of security agencies in Bawku and the media.
The petition was signed by representatives of 10 labour groups namely: Ms Lucy Gariba of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union, Mr Joseph Samanadi Tokyo of the Judicial Service Staff Association, Mr Mohammed B. Dinko of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association and Mr Daniel Anaba of the Health Service Workers Union.
The rest are Mr Akure Dennis of the National Association of Graduate Teachers, Mr Daniel Aboko Akologo of the Public Services Workers Union, Mr Paul Apam, representing the Civil Servants Association, Mr Seidu Amadu and Mr Albana Dun of the Ghana National Association of Teachers and the Ghana Registered Nurses Association respectively.
“With hearts full of sorrow, we regret to inform your honoured offices that the death toll among workers as of December 31, 2009 in the municipality stood as high as seven — three deaths recorded prior to our petition in June, 2009 and four others thereafter.
“It is also heartbreaking to bring to your notice that following the death of the medical assistant, several workers have chosen to stay off work in order to avoid the unexpected, in view of the current insecurity in the municipality”.
The workers called on the government to ensure that the security agencies and the Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee were strengthened enough to guard against the lingering insecurity and speed up the attainment of absolute peace in the Bawku Traditional Area.
Responding to the threats by the workers, the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, said though REGSEC appreciated the sacrifices being made by the workers, he had thought they would have resorted to dialogue rather than issue a threat to withdraw their services.
“Considering the relationship we have with workers in this region, there should have been a follow-up on their earlier petition in June, last year, to discuss the issue further with us and the threat to withdraw their services should have been the last resort,” he said.
According to the Regional Minister, he was very much concerned about the welfare of workers in that part of the country and he, together with other members of REGSEC, would do everything to protect them.
“If there are security problems, we will definitely be the first to advice on what to do. We are concerned and would not like to expose them to any risk or danger,” Mr Woyongo said.
He described the current threat as rather unfortunate, since steps were underway to encourage the Mamprusis side on the Bawku Inter-Ethic Peace Committee to re-join the negotiation table in the search for peace in the area.
He assured the workers that everything possible would be done to bring peace to the area and appealed to the workers to explore all avenues for dialogue.