The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) is not backing down. In a bold and defiant move, the group is squaring off against the government, vowing to protect Ghana’s green spaces and water bodies from the destructive galamsey crisis. While most worker unions have abandoned the cause, UTAG is standing firm, preparing for an indefinite strike beginning Thursday, October 10, 2024.
This showdown follows Organized Labour’s earlier announcement of a nationwide strike to pressure the government into action, including repealing L.I 2462 to curb illegal mining. However, key groups such as the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), and the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) pulled out at the last moment, Organized Labour was left with no option but to cancel its plans.
But UTAG remains resolute. Over 78% of its members voted in favor of the strike, sending a clear message: “With or without Organized Labour, we see it as our duty to safeguard the country’s environmental integrity.”
In a decisive referendum held across all 15 UTAG branches, 2,153 members (77.95%) voted “YES” to take action, while 607 members (21.98%) voted “NO,” and only two abstained. The overwhelming result prompted UTAG’s National Executive Council (NEC) to hold an emergency meeting, invoking Article XIX, Clause 5 of the UTAG Constitution. The outcome? An INDEFINITE STRIKE set to commence on October 10, pending a government ban on all mining and prospecting activities in forest reserves, farmlands, and water bodies.
In a statement, UTAG’s NEC declared, “This decisive outcome reflects the unwavering commitment of UTAG members to protect our environment and livelihoods from the destructive impact of mining activities in ecologically sensitive areas.”
UTAG’s leadership has emphasized the seriousness of their stance. Their demand is straightforward: an immediate nationwide ban on all mining activities in protected ecological areas. Until the government responds, they pledge to keep lecture halls empty and education on hold.
Prof. Mamudu A. Akudugu, UTAG’s National President, and Dr. Eliasu Mumuni, the National Secretary, urged all UTAG members to adhere strictly to the strike decision, stating, “It’s time the government takes decisive action and bans this destructive practice once and for all.”
As the strike date approaches, all eyes are on UTAG. Will the government bow to their demands, or will the nation’s university lecturers stand firm and make history in their fight against illegal mining?
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