A seven-storey Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU), Ghana, building known as the ICU House, has been inaugurated in Accra to enhance its operational activities.
The building, which was inaugurated on Wednesday, bolsters a 3-floor private hotel facility and law chamber and also houses the Accra Regional Secretariat, departments, and specialised units of the union.
Speaking at the inauguration, the General Secretary of the Union, Mr Morgan Ayawine, said the inauguration of the building, which was supposed to have been done long ago, was a testament to what foresight, tenacity, and perseverance of purpose could achieve.
“The commissioning of this building, indeed, should have been done long ago, but due to circumstances beyond the control of the Union, the event could not come on as anticipated,” Mr Ayawine said.
“You would all agree with me that, every good and hard work has its crowning glory, and the commissioning of this building (christened as ICU House) today epitomises what foresight, perseverance and tenacity of purpose can achieve,” he added.
Mr Ayawine said the 7-storey building, which was envisioned and instituted by the late Napoleon D.K. Kpoh, the 6th General Secretary of the Union, was constructed partly through the levying of ICU constituent members and the national union’s funding.
The union, therefore, dedicated the new building to the memory of the late Mr Kpoh for his role in the construction of the edifice.
“Nevertheless, as the old adage goes, it is always “better late than never”, which is why, in that belief, we are here today to commission this building dedicated to the memory of the late Napoleon D.K. Kpoh, who initiated and completed the construction of this beautiful and imposing building, christened as ICU House,” Mr Ayawine said.
Founded through the merger of five distinct national unions on May 25, 1960, ICU-Ghana has risen through a chequered history and overcome a myriad of obstacles and challenges to attain a prestigious status as the single largest heterogeneous trade union organisation in Ghana today.
The union has carved out a niche for itself not only in organising, collective bargaining and grievance handling, but also offering trade union education to its members to sensitise them in the handling of workplace issues to ensure industrial peace and harmony.
BY TIMES REPORTER