Violence is not an option -TUC boss

Mr Kofi Asamoah, TUC General SecretaryMr Kofi Asamoah, TUC General SecretarySecretary General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Kofi Asamoah has backed the calls for peace post the Supreme Court‘s judgement of the election petition that is challenging the declaration of President John Dramani Mahama as the winner of the December 2012 presidential polls.

He said the TUC, which has been a non-partisan watchdog of the people’s interest and vanguard of the country’s independence and return to democracy will ensure that the peace being enjoyed by the populace is not disrupted.

He also cautioned political activists to desist from activities that were likely to throw the country into chaos.

Mr Asamoah who made the pledge at the National Peace Summit in Accra said, “We need to state that violence is not an option. We need peace to develop this country. As workers we need peace to go about our duties even as we struggle for improved working condition, and for salaries that can really take us home. So our commitment to justice and peace is total. Some of us cannot afford to carry our things on our heads like we see in the neighbouring countries.”

Acknowledging that justice was the foundation for peace, he also called on government to ensure that economic justice was not denied the working Ghanaian.

“To us, there are other elements of justice which need to be taken account of. We think economic justice is also another thing we should look at. Because if we don’t have economic justice and given the likes of inequalities in the society where some people have more than they need, and others also don’t have it, then it becomes a question mark for justice.”

According to him, the multi-party democracy that was advocated for has been turned into a platform for politicians to amass wealth at the expense of the poor.

“The partisan politics we advocated for is not what we are seeing now where it has become so lucrative to some few people at the expense of the majority. Now people want to get political power and amass wealth at the expense of the majority. It’s not the kind of multiparty democracy that we advocated for,” Mr Asamoah said.

He, therefore, called on government to take account of the huge army of unemployed people in the country and ensure that they don’t become vessels of violence.

By Jasmine Arku/Graphic.com.gh/Ghana


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