The General Secretary of the Industrial Commercial Workers Union (ICU) Ghana, Mr Morgan Ayawine has advised workers to use dialogue in addressing grievances at their various workplaces.
He said dialogue should be used in most situations through the Standing Negotiating Committee, to resolve infractions and disagreements at workplaces to ensure sustained and successful operations.
Mr Ayawine gave the advice, when he inaugurated the newly elected local union executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) in Accra yesterday.
The new union, expected to be in office for a four-year termis chaired by Mr Eric Ekow Turkson.
The other members are Ms Jemimah Ankomah, vice chairperson; Ms Saratu Mohammed,secretary;Mr Daniel Samari,assistant secretary; Mr Kumah Richard Nana Ampofo, first Trustee.
The rest are Mr Nelson Joy Terry, Second Trustee; Ms Getrude Koranteng, executive member; Abigail Doe Mankralo, women’s representative and Dennis Sarpong, youth representative.
The General Secretary stated that the right incentives and motivation to the farmers and the workers by the COCOBOD could result in higher performance of the stakeholders in the cocoa industry, as Ghana strives to regain its pride as the world’s leading producer of cocoa, and maintain the premium quality of cocoa beans.
“For cocoa is Ghana and Ghana is Cocoa and it is even widely acknowledged that the cocoa sector contributes enormously to the socio-economic development of the country,” he added
He explained that, it was against this background that “ICU-Ghana and the members at COCOBOD were proud to be inextricably associated with the current exponential increase in the tonnage of cocoa beans production and purchase even under coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) condition from a low of 700,000 tonnes to an appreciable level of 1,040,000 tonnes.”
He appealed to the COCOBOD management to ensure mutual respect and fairness devoid of discrimination which should be the hallmark of the management in their relationship.
Mr Ayawine called on workers to continue to abide by the COVID-19 safety protocol, explaining that,the pandemic was causing havoc to businesses and labour.
The Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD in-charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Emmanuel Ray Ankrah in his remarks commended the new executives and assured them of their collaboration with the staff to improve the industry.
“As management we are committed to working with the executives to ensure the cocoa sector improves,” he said.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
