THE body representing African trade unions has given its full backing to a strike in Ghana to stop illegal mining.

The African regional organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) said it was giving “unwavering support for the nationwide strike” on October 10 2024.

A statement from ITUC-Africa said the strike was a direct response to the Ghanaian government’s failure to address illegal mining, which “continues to wreak havoc on the environment, public health and the livelihoods of workers across the country.”

The union body said it was joining calls for all workers to stay at home until the government “demonstrates concrete action to end the devastating practices of illegal mining.”

ITUC-Africa said: “Workers [...] are directly and negatively impacted by the environmental degradation caused by illegal mining.

“The environmental damage from illegal mining is staggering. Deforestation, land degradation and water contamination have destroyed ecosystems and livelihoods central to the Ghanaian economy.”