Members of the Tema District Council of Labour are backing calls by the Trades Union Congress for government to review downwards the utility tariffs, by the 22nd of this month or face their wrath.

Hundreds of them embarked on a demonstration in Tema Thursday, to compel government to heed their demands.

The workers say they are unhappy with what they describe as the “astronomical increases” in tariffs which they complain they cannot afford.

Regional officer for Industrial and Workers Union in Tema, Eliasa Borbor Nyaunor presented the petition to an official of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.

He warned that the Council “should not be blamed” if the government fails to reduce utility tariffs.  

Early on, leaders of the Council told Joy News about the police intention to stop them from embarking on the demonstration although they have a permit.

Secretary of the Tema District Council of Labour Ebenezer Kojo Taylor told Joy News “police tried to intimidate us but we resisted and protested on our democratic rights”.

He said he and the chairman were today put before court by the police, in an attempt to scuttle the demonstration. “We went there (court) and we defeated them (police),” he said.

According to him, the court sided with the demonstrators because they were practicing their democratic rights.

Mr Kojo Taylor said the excuse by the police that they do not have the number to supervise the exercise was untenable because the Council had always comported themselves, and would therefore not need even 50 police officers.

He recalled that the police accepted their notice to demonstrate on October 8 and even commended them for being civil over the years when they embarked on demonstrations, only for the police to turn back on Tuesday, October 15 that they can no longer protect them and want the exercise suspended.