A group aligned to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for a partisan Trades Union Congress (TUC), and organized labour in general, to defend policy decisions of the government.

The call by Reform for Youth Empowerment is premised on what it believes is the infiltration of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the leadership of organized labour “in pursuit of regime change in 2016”.

In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Ebenezer Arkutu, the group accused TUC of being on the board of SSNIT, when the decision for the controversial sale of Merchant Bank to Fortiz Private Equity Firm was taken, but has succumbed to politicians to turn around against the sale.

“The leadership of TUC/ Organized Labour without being mindful of its full membership, clearly, has taken a partisan stance to frustrate the mandate of the NDC government. This must be resisted.”

The group therefore stated: “We call on all NDC supporters/sympathizers who are members of TUC/Organized Labour to also take a political stance in defense of the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama and the mandate of the NDC government. They must resist the regime change agenda and disobey any call/directive, which seeks to frustrate the NDC government and undermine its mandate.”

The group therefore, called on the board of Social Security and National Insurance Trust and the Bank of Ghana to disregard that partisan call and proceed to finalize the deal.

“We join Ghanaians in condemning the conduct of Organized Labour and its Leadership for deliberately mishandling Fortiz take-over of Merchant Bank affair and for taking entrenched partisan position.”

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT

 

FORTIZ TAKE-OVER OF MERCHANT BANK…CONDUCT OF ORGANIZED LABOUR/CIVIL SOCIETY AND ITS LEADERSHIP MUST BE QUESTIONED.

In the matter of Fortiz take-over of Merchant Bank…Organized Labour’s lack of leadership,state of confusion and indecision has given credence to a desperate propaganda against the government of President John DramaniMahama. A desperate propagandawhich is deeply rooted in a partisanship and hatred carefully calculated by the opposition, NPP (after election failure, unsuccessful electoral petition), its groups and allies in Organized Labour/Civil Society to undermine not only his presidency and mandate but also to reduce his stature before Ghanaians and the rest of the world - In pursuit of regime change in 2016.

Without controversy, Organized Labourthrough Trade Union Congress (TUC) has membership on the board of SSNIT…SSNIT together with the board of Merchant Bank and the Bank of Ghana took informed decision to give approval of Fortiz take-over of Merchant Bank after appointing KPMG (in an advisory capacity) to undertake a due diligence of all interested parties who successfully submitted competitive bids/take-over proposals. And without questioning KPMG’s due diligence and objecting to the collective decision of Fortiz take-over of Merchant Bank…Organized Labour obviously under partisan pressure and control through a pressurized Press Conference issued a misguided Press Statement calling for immediate suspension of Merchant Bank sale/take-over by Fortiz Equity Fund.

TUC without questioning KPMG’s due diligence on the deal and/or said to have challenged the initial decision to approve Fortiztake-over of Merchant Bank cannot under partisan pressure seek to undermine the collective will; we are therefore calling on the board of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and the Bank of Ghana to disregard that partisan call, ignore it totally and proceed to finalize the deal.

We join Ghanaians in condemning the conduct of Organized Labour and its Leadership for deliberately mishandling Fortiz take-over of Merchant Bank affair and for taking entrenched partisan position. Organized Labour though duly and fully represented on the board (in TUC) and TUC being part of the decision to sell Merchant Bank, some labourgroups particularly Ghana Medical Association (GMA) whilst admitting not privy to the deal and unaware of KPMG’s due diligenceon the Fortiz Equity Fund deal deliberately ignored their representative (TUC) on the board of SSNITand rushed to the media with their concerns and issuing misguided press statement(s). Why did they ignore their representative?  Why are they directly approaching and speaking to the media? What is their motivation? - Pure disrespect and partisanship.

In a widely publicized Press Statement by Organized Labour read by the Secretary General of the TUC, Mr. Kofi Asamoah said ‘’We believe Merchant Bank has the potential to recover from its current distressed position. SSNIT should, therefore, make the necessary arrangements to re-capitalize and re-structure the banks’ management in particular to ensure its viability.’’ Also,’’ workers are demanding for disclosure of ownership of Fortiz as well as sources of funding for this particular transaction’’. This statement(s) is/are unfortunate knowing that TUC is the representative of Organized Labour on the board of SSNIT…and SSNIT was part of the decision. It should have known better. Is it to suggest that TUC was only interested in the board allowances? Or confirmation TUC did not effectively represent the interest of Organized Labour? It is evident the leadership of TUC did not engage its members.

TUC should be answerable to the very questions raised in the press statement and in a better position to address the concerns of Organized Labour since it was its duly representative. It is our contention that TUC is misleading Organized Labour or is being misled. TUC as a member of the board of SSNIT is quiet on KPMG’s due diligence and/or its position on KPMG’s due diligence and subsequent approval of Fortiz Equity Fund bid/proposal as the best for Merchant Bank.

We submit that the sudden turn-around of TUC the representative of Organized Labour on the board of SSNIT to approve Fortiz take-over of Merchant Bank is more political and partisan than labour related…the collective interest of workers. The leadership of TUC/ Organized Labour without being mindful of its full membership clearly has taken a partisan stance to fraudulently frustrate the mandate of the NDC government. This must be resisted.

We call on all NDC supporters/sympathizers who are members of TUC/Organized Labour to also take a political stance in defense of the leadership of President John DramaniMahama and the mandate of the NDC government. They must resist the regime change agenda and disobey any call/directive which seeks to frustrate the NDC government and undermines its mandate.

To the NDC government, in fulfilment of its mandate must equallytake a stance on illegal strike(s) by leadership of TUC/ Organized Labour in the country. Also, government must resist the undue interference of leadership of TUC/ Organized Labour in its governance/policy decisions or risklegitimacy crisis and conceding its leadership and popular mandate to an unelected group of people. Government must be mindful of thousands and thousands of unemployed but competent and capable graduates/professionals out there daily in search of jobs.

Like Organized Labour, leadership of Civil Society groups without seeing the Fortiz Equity Fund take-over agreement let alone scrutinize it to reach a value base conclusion and judgements without any specific evidence of fraud and wrongdoing have variously described Fortiz take-over deal as fraudulent and a rip-off. This is the indiscipline inherent in the activism of Civil Society groups not only in Ghana but in Africa at large.

The leadership of Civil Society groups in their indecent haste in safeguarding their partisan interests and serving their foreign interests are daily risking our stable democracy and steady progress to economic and social transformation of our country, Ghana.This risk manifests in the leadership gradually transforming their respective civil groups into alarmist and militia groups.

We have observed in the fourth republic a disturbing tendency on the part of civil groups that for greater power, influence and authority have exploited problems/challenges associated with governance, our partisanship and deeply divided media to undermine the state of Ghana by unduly attacking governments- NDC being the greatest victim. The dishonesty and the lack of fairly balance assessment and offering sound judgements in discussing national issues/development.

In engaging government from different perspectives and offering better alternatives on good governance ie policies, programmes and projects - Civil Society groups in Ghana are guilty of being snubbish, arrogant and quickly dismissive of government position(s) and forcibly imputing motives of corruption in government affairs. Also, being insulting and making government officials appear as incompetent, stupid and useless. This does not promote good governance and constructive partnership.

To this end, many observers in our democratic dispensation are questioning the desirability of Civil Society groups in its present form…its leadership credibility and focus. Whilst admitting to their relevance and usefulness in our democracy and good governance process… Civil Society groups in Ghana particularly IMANI Ghana, Institute for Democratic governance (IDEG), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) to name but a few. At each turn, its engagement is fraught with mischief, hypocrisy and deepening the partisan division.

IMANI Ghana: It is in the interest of Civil Society in Ghana to question its leadership and conducts. It is public knowledge that the leadership of IMANI Ghana in recent times have called for regime change through a coup d’ état -In a press statement defended it. Also, its a public knowledge that in disagreeing with government positions on national issues its leadership subjected the person of the President of Ghana to insults and abuse. The loud silence of Corporate Ghana and its leaders is suggestive of its approval of a crusade and determination to build a confrontational and abusive society.

We speak of IMANI Ghana not because it carries any political weight or social recognition. It was already dead on arrival by suffering credibility crisis when it chose to become not only aknown surrogate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but also an agent/advocate of racist imperialist forces/ powers, institutions and organizations. An opportunistic organization, IMANI Ghana like other Civil Society groups in their quest for self-employmentare in a determination to further entrench the economic/financial re-colonization of our country, Ghana and the rest of Africa. We speak of IMANI Ghana because of its acts of provocation.

Civil Society groups must be mindful of their social space in discussing issues of development of our country, Ghana and its political future. However, if they believe the political leadership has woefully failed and Ghana is a failed STATE. Then we are extending an invitation to any Civil Society group that thinks it can provide greater leadership and rule this nation better…should form a political party and contest in an election to be voted into power. Civil Society groups must be BOLD.

It is inescapable in conclusion that Civil Society groups in Ghana need to undergo rebranding for loss of credibility and must redefine their leadership/focus to be widely accepted. Or risk being continuously marginalized, narrowed, ignored and reduced to social nuisance as is the case today.

 

Long live Ghana!!!

Long live the NDC!!!

 

SIGNED…

EBENEZER ARKUTU

GENERAL SECRETARY