By Nasratu Kargbo
The Deputy Secretary General of the Regional Trade Union Akhator Joel Odigie wants the government to create an enabling environment for workers to form unions and be empowered.
Odigie made this call on the 20th of September 2023 at a meeting with the Minister of Employment and Social Security Mohamed Rahman Swaray, whilst discussing the welfare and safety of workers and African workers’ efforts to contribute to halting Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs).
Highlighting some of the reasons why he believes that unions are important, the Secretary-General stated that having a union lessens the burden of authorities engaging with faceless and rudderless groups in times of restiveness.
“When they are unionized, you won’t need to talk much, you only have to ensure and utilize regular and genuine consultations with their leaders. Allowing them to be unionized will be in the government’s best interest” Odigie explained.
He also mentioned that an organized and empowered workforce serves as an asset for national mobilization, nation-building, cohesion, and transformation in a country.
Odigie noted that workers’ empowerment does not completely focus on the monetary aspect, but also aims at the proper implementation of labour laws. He heaped praises on President Julius Maada Bio for his human capital development, citing it being the reason for investing heavily in education since he took office in 2018.
The Secretary-General added that the government also believes in dialogue, which was why they repealed Part 5 of the 1965 Public Order Act which criminalized Libel.
Odigie stated that the Regional Workers’ Union coordinates over 17,000,000 men and women across Africa; a continent that he said is witnessing the resurgence of Pan-Africanism sentiments.
“For us as organized workers, we see and believe that the resurgence to pan-African beliefs and actions should have cultural, spiritual, and transformational characters, which Africans must consciously and effectively harvest for good and not miss it,” he said.
Odigie recalled that in 2020 they started a project in Sierra Leone titled: “Trade Union’s Contributions in the Utilization of Social Dialogue to Address Fragilities”, explaining that the project’s pillar one was a campaign called “Securing Sierra Leone’s Future: The Role of Trade Unions in Combating Illicit Financial Flows for Social Services, Peace, and Security in Sierra Leone.”
The Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security Mohamed Rahman Swaray expressed appreciation, stating that he is excited by anything that seeks to educate and mobilize people for transformative change in society.
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