On the occasion of workers’ day tomorrow, the chairman of The Gambia Trade Union Bureau, Kebba Mansaneh Ceesay has called on the government to consider what he called 8 very important concerns of the workers. He said these include involving workers’ representatives to serve in all national policy advisory committees, including the advisors to the president.
Mr Ceesay further demanded that the new draft constitution be put into force before the next general elections in addition to creating a central data tracking system for transit goods and all vehicles be escorted to the border so that there is no fraud in the process.
Other demands include; making sure that the inter-transit plate is issued by the Ministry of Trade and not the GCCI who are themselves the businessmen; to look into the plight of the pensioners’ earnings; to speed up the introduction of the Trade Union Bill; formalise the informal economy and consider upward reviewing of wages in order to commensurate with the current cost of living.
Mr Ceesay also explained well over one year today, the Covid-19 pandemic has been ravaging the world including The Gambia where jobs were lost in many sectors, notably, tourism as hotel closures became the order of the day. “Trade has declined and so the movement of goods has reduced drastically, affecting the transport sub sector too as the informal economy which plays a very important role in the economic development of the country suffered. In general, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected every worker as prices of essential commodities skyrocketed and remained unchecked by the authorities,” Mr Ceesay said.
He concluded that as a workers’ organisation representing different trade unions, GamTUB will continue to protect the interest of its members while working closely with government on all industrial-related issues.
