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30 April, 2011In mid-April, more than 100 trade union delegates attended Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Organisation (SSARO) Conference of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) to elect regional leadership and discuss issues affected workers in the region. In keeping with the spirit of the proposed merger between ICEM, the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation (ITGLWF), regional representatives of IMF and ITGLWF attended the conference in Accra, Ghana
Ghana: Participants discussed civil unrest in North Africa and condemned military and police repression on people who peacefully advocate for a political system based on economic and social justice. The conference called for political stability and sustainable development for job creation. The conference called on governments in the Sub Saharan region to create an environment for economic growth and job creation, including commitment of 10% of national budgets to agriculture for food security.
The conference also discussed foreign investment on the continent by multinational companies and called for conditions to be imposed on these towards improving economic growth, preventing environment degradation, creating employment, and improving working conditions in Africa.
The conference also called for a continuation in trade union building to strengthen worker representation in the region and hailed the proposed integration of the ICEM, IMF and ITGLWF as "a progressive move that unites workers and builds international solidarity."
The General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers' Union (GMWU), Prince William Ankrah, was elected regional chairman of the SSARO. Christine Olivier, Second Vice President of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), was elected as SSARO Women's Chairperson while Frans Baleni of South Africa, Achese Igwe of Nigeria, and Paul Felex Bayiha of Cameroon were confirmed as ICEM Executive Committee members for three of SSARO's seats on the governing body.