Women within Ghana’s labour movement have been encouraged to strengthen their leadership capacity and play a more active role in advancing workers’ rights and social justice.
The call was made during a three-day leadership workshop organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for women representatives drawn from six of its affiliated unions.
Speaking at the workshop, Chairman of the TUC, Bernard Owusu, urged participants to focus on the core principles of trade unionism and avoid politicising union activities.
He noted that the primary role of labour unions was to promote workers’ welfare and influence national policies that supported fair labour practices.
“There is too much politics in the union which is not good. Stick to the ideals of the trade union,” he said.
Mr Owusu described women as capable leaders and encouraged them to take advantage of mentorship and other professional development opportunities to prepare themselves for higher leadership roles within the labour movement.
Participants in the workshop were drawn from the Communication Workers Union (CWU), Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU), General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers’ Union (GTPCWU), Union of Informal Workers’ Association (UNIWA), Union of Industry, Commerce and Finance Workers (UNICOF) and the General Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU).
The workshop focused on equipping women with leadership and advocacy skills to enable them to contribute effectively to union decision-making processes.
Also speaking at the event, Joseph Hotor, General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union, commended the TUC for organising the training and urged participants to apply the knowledge gained.
“You have been taught so much, and it is for us to go out there and practise it. Mostly we come to such meetings and after that we go back and that ends it. So, women, I encourage you to apply what you have learnt and you will succeed,” he said.
For her part, Harriet Boateng, Head of the Gender and Child Protection Department of the Trades Union Congress, expressed confidence that the training would empower more women to assume leadership roles within the labour movement.
She praised the participants for their active engagement throughout the programme and urged them to maximise the skills and knowledge gained.
Madam Boateng also encouraged the TUC to sustain the initiative to strengthen women’s leadership capacity and ensure more women occupied decision-making positions in the labour movement.
