We mark, today, the international working class day, a treasured day in the annals of the straggle of the working class against the oppressive rule of capital, a day when the working class recalls its source of inexhaustible strength–working class unity and solidarity. On this special occasion, the New Democratic Movement (NDM), in keeping with its commitment to the interests of working people, salutes the working class of Ghana and its TUC as well as the international working class movement. 

This MAY DAY is taking place at a time when the question of our country’s economic and political future has become the central national issue, on the political agenda, particularly following the announcement by the Chairman of the PNDC regime of district level/council elections’ and ‘debate on the direction of the national economy’. The New Democratic Movement believes that our trade union movement under the leadership of the TUC has a specially crucial responsibility and role to play in the resolution of these vital national issues. 

Today, the living conditions of working people daily deteriorate as the harsh neo-colonial logic of the ERP is pursued by the regime in power in the interest of accumulation of social wealth by property owners, especially in the interest of foreign capital. While special assistants to the UN Secretary General on Africa’s economy praise the ERP as ‘the centre piece of Africa’s economic recovery’, the people of Ghana experience  a different reality of the ERP: mass unemployment, retrenchment of labour, rising prices, erosion of wages, crippling debt servicing. So seriously has the living wage of the working man been eroded by the irresponsible weekly auction of foreign exchange that, today, Ghanaian workers are on the verge of the poverty line and neck-deep in debt to callous money lenders; yet not a day passes by without the praise of the success story of the ERP. Working people live in hovels as homes, daily harassed by money-grabbing landlords without… attempt by the regime to address the basic question of decent housing for working people, notwithstanding all the propaganda about approtech’. In the major spheres of education and health, the regime is pursuing a policy aimed at transforming those vital social services into free market commodities, available to only those who can pay! Yet, the ‘people’s revolution’ continues!

The ERP may be a miracle of economic recovery for foreign capital and big Ghanaian exploiting classes; but for working people, it is a programme of social misery and oppression. 

Any attempt by the TUC and patriots to protest against these policies and their effects on the people is viciously condemned as ‘counter revolutionary’, ‘subversive’, ‘CIA inspired’, ‘ unpatriotic’. Workers leaders are arrested and thrown into cells without legal authority when they fight for basic trade union rights. Armed policemen intervene brutally to ‘resolve’ normal trade union disputes in favour of the owners of capital. Even the right of the TUC as the organised expression of workers is being questioned. The state-controlled media have become a sycophantic reproduction of the regime’s voice, while critical and constructive views are completely muzzled. Yet, unconvincing concerns are expressed about a creeping ‘culture of silence’. Where a regime in power does not tolerate critical views, what else can it expect but a culture of silence! 

Meanwhile the very independent existence of the TUC is threatened by such unilateral acts as the establishment of the so-called Ministry of Mobilisation and Productivity (MOBIPRO) and the threat of an ominous MOBIPRO law. The NDM take this occasion, once again, to alert the TUC leadership and our workers’ movement as a whole against any attempt to change the Industrial Relations Act unilaterally and in a manner that undermines the independent organisation of the trade union and the right to collective bargaining. 

We wish to draw the attention of the TUC to the major education reforms that the regime is hurriedly imposing on the country without any real discussion with the people, nor proper conception, planning nor preparation. Everything suggests that the so-called JSS if implemented in the current state of affairs will produce a caricature of an education system. No one, not even the teachers who are to implement it nor those who are to teach the teachers, knows what it is all about. The JSS programme must be stopped immediately if it is not to cause further havoc to our crisis ridden school system. Furthermore we call for the reversal of the policy aimed at imposing further burden in financing higher education on parents and students. We note the assurance by government’ that the policy will not be implemented in the coming academic year, and state that the problem with the policy is not when it is to be implemented but with the policy itself. Any attempt to impose further costs of higher education on the people will result in denying working people and their...  higher education, while making it the privilege … position on this important matter and we are confident that it will be in the interest of democracy. Meanwhile the NDM strongly protests against the cynical and cowardly manner in which the former NUGS Secretary, Kakrabah Cromwell has been arrested and detained by the authorities. What must be recognied by all is that Kakrabah Cromwell’s arrest is an act of repression of his political right to free expression as a student leader and a citizen of this country. It is also aimed at intimidating the student movement from exercising their legitimate right of protest. The allegation of dealing in indian hemp, even if true, must therefore be seen simply as a God-sent pretext for political repression of democratic expression. The political nature of the arrest is shown by the fact that he has been in detention for more than two weeks, incommunicado, without charge in violation of the law of the land. We therefore call for his immediate release. 

All these issues raise the question of democracy in national life. Our people have had five years of PNDC rule while the NCD ‘searches’ for democracy which must have got lost somewhere in the course of our history as a nation. During those five years the initial promise of popular participation in decision-making has been completely subverted by the unilateral rule of the PNDC regime. The issue of democratic government has thus once again become an urgent one. 

In this connection, the NIM reiterates its position that the so-called district elections will have no democratic meaning, unless it is linked up to and subordinated to election of government at the national level: that the right to free political association be respected as an essential condition for democracy; that political elections are never held anywhere on the basis of ‘guidelines’. The ‘guidelines’ proposals are therefore not serious. If elections are to be democratic, they must be conducted within the framework of a political system, a constitution. democratically formulated, discussed and approved by the people who have the sovereign right to decide how they are to be governed and by whom. 

The National Commission for Democracy (NCD) has had more than enough time to have completed its ‘search’ and found democracy. Besides it represents no section of the population but those in power. We therefore call for its replacement by a truly representative body which should draw up a constitution for national discussion and approval by the people.

A democratic political atmosphere is in the interest of the trade union movement insofar as it creates a favourable climate for the defence and advancement of trade union rights. 

We of the NDM believe that the TUC, as the organised expression of the foremost force in our country’s democratic movement, the workers movement, bears a great responsibility in ensuring that our country has a democratic system of government based on a constitution which is the product of popular formulation and discussion. We believe that the workers’ movement has the capacity and the strength to play this role. On this anniversary of MAY DAY, the New Democratic Movement wishes the TUC of Ghana and our workers’ movement unity, solidarity and courage. 

Long Live the Workers’ Movement of Ghana! 
Long Live the TUC!! 
Long Live International Working Class Solidarity!!! 
Long Live Ghana!!! 

ISSUED BY THE NEW DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT, ACCRA. MAY 1ST 1987.