'Casual Workers Must Join Labour Unions'

By Anita Nyarko-Yirenki

The General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union, (ICU) Ghana, Mr Solomon Kotei, has called on casual workers in the country to join the labour unions to ensure their rights are protected at various workplaces.

He said most casual workers who were mostly in the youth bracket did not belong to labour unions making it difficult to champion their course.

Mr Kotei made the call during the maiden working visit by the executives of the Greater Accra Regional Youth wing of the union to his office in Accra on Friday.

The visit, led by the Regional Youth President, Mrs Anita Nyarko-Yirenkyi, was to discuss issues affecting the youth in the region and seek ways in addressing them.

It was also to commemorate this year's International Youth Day slated for August 12, 2019 under the theme, 'Young workers together-making the change'.

Among the delegation were Mr Israel Goka, Vice president and Mr Alfred Mensah, executive member of the Greater Accra ICU youth wing.

Mr Kotei said, the issue of casualisation is a big menace which needed the support of all to address.

"The youth who are the future leaders of the country are so much endowed with talents which needed to be tapped,"he added.

The General Secretary said the ICU would remain focused in ensuring that the rights of workers were protected.

Mr Kotei urged the executives of the youth wing to put up programmes which would benefit the youth in the union.

He assured the executives of the ICU his continuous support in helping them achieve their goals.

Mrs Nyarko-Yirenkyi on behalf of the executives commended the leadership of the ICU for the support and attention it had been giving to issues bothering on the youth over the years.

She however, lamented the increasing number of casual workers in the country, stating that "such practices by some employees have affected the youth who are the future of the country".

Mrs Nyarko-Yirenkyi, said, the youth worker in the country must be protected for the future.

"The welfare of the youth must be made paramount at all workplaces to ensure that the future of the country is secured," she added.

She said the youth had over the years contributed their quota to the development of all facets of society and must be supported to further contribute to the development of the country.

Present at the meeting included, Mr Morgan Ayawine, the Deputy General Secretary in charge of Operations, Mr Emmanuel Benimah, Deputy General Secretary in-charge of Administration, Mr Thomas Atiah,Greater Accra Regional Officer and Mrs Christine Asante, head of Youth and Gender.

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