The Head of Labour Research and Policy Institute of Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, has urged civil societies to strengthen unions for them to effectively engage government to make the distribution of revenue such as oil and gas wealth more equitable.
He said trade unions have a role to play in making sure that wealth from oil and gas make a positive impact on the people thus becoming a
blessing and not a curse as had always been the case in many countries.
Mr. Otoo was speaking at a two day seminar organised by the TUC in collaboration with Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO-Norway) and the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers' Union (GTPCWU) in
Accra.
He said the biggest challenge faced by most oil producing countries are equitable distribution of revenue, good governance on all levels in exploration activities, transparency in decision making processes, democratic participation in processes concerning explorations.
He said the emergence of oil in Africa has led to abandonment of other important sectors such as manufacturing, health and education "but I believe Ghana would be different".
"Oil has also undermined democracy in all these countries and had led to military coups, prolonged dictatorships and civil conflicts, weakness of civil society organisations which lack the information and resources to hold
governments accountable".
Mr. Otoo said since Ghana had found its oil in the midst of these uncomfortable economic, political and social developments in Africa, there was the need for a vibrant media, strong civil society, constant oversight activities and legitimate and effective frame work for the conduct of public policy and a big push in transparency.
Mr. Otoo advised that the oil revenue should not be diverted into massive importation of cheap consumables which would undermine local
production, adding," we have to put up the right structures to manage the oil money otherwise Ghana would be as other oil countries".
Mr. Emmanuel Amstrong Mensah, Ghana Secretary of GTPCWU of TUC, said production of oil in many countries in the continent has not brought about high standard of living for the people hence the need for trade unions in
Ghana to take up the oil and gas industry as a priority issue to protect the interest of workers and citizens to make oil a blessing and not a curse.
"We will take proactive measures to demand for our participation in the whole process to secure good working conditions, wages and benefits because the industry in particularly is dangerous to the health of the people, hence
the need to attain strict health and safety regulations at the production places.