ORGANISED LABOUR GIVES GOV’T JAN 13 ULTIMATUM TO REDUCE UTILITY TARIFFS AND WITHDRAW PETROLEUM TAXES.

Members of Organised Labour have given government a one-week ultimatum to reduce the utility tariffs that came into force in December last year.  The Trades Union Congress (TUC) members are also demanding government withdraw recent levies on petroleum products or face series of nationwide actions. This was contained in a release  issued after a meeting by the labour unions  to deliberate on the recent spate of increases in utility tariffs, taxes and income on levies and petroleum products. “Organised Labour gives government up to the close of day (18hrs GMT) on Wednesday, 13 January 2016 to meet these demands. If these demands are not met by the said date, Organised Labour would unleash series of nationwide actions,” said a release .The release signed by nine labour organizations and the TUC General Secretary, Kofi Asamoah noted that the meeting decried the lazy recourse to taxation and its attendant economic and social hardships on the already overburdened Ghanaian by government.  “Organised Labour says its position is that the recent utility tariff and petroleum price increases “are reckless and a display of the insensitivity on the part of managers of the economy to the plight of the ordinary Ghana” said the release.  The release noted that nationwide action Organised Labour intends to take to drive home their demands include demonstrations and picketing at the national capital as well as all regional capitals.