Volta Premier Fm
By: Michael Nene Lamptey
In a significant development for the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU of TUC-Ghana), Mad. Salamatu Mahamah Braimah has been chosen as the first female National Chairperson after 65 years of the union’s establishment. Previously serving as the union’s Second National Vice Chairperson, Madam Braimah, who holds the position of Deputy Registrar at the Accra Technical University, succeeds Ambrose Yao Kwadzodza.
During the same election, King James Azortibah, the Chief Finance Officer of the union, was elected as the new General Secretary, taking over from Mark Dankyira Korankye, while Charles Kofi Osei, the immediate past Deputy General Secretary, retained his position.
The elections unfolded at the 13th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of TEWU of TUC-Ghana, hosted at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Kasoa in the Central Region. Alongside Madam Braimah’s historic election, Madam Olivia Oparebea Obuobi and Ken Botchway were elected as the Second National Vice Chairperson and Second National Trustee, respectively. Richmond Sakyi and Madam Fati Bintu Adamu were elected unopposed for the roles of First National Vice Chairman and the First National Trustee, respectively.
Following their election, the new National Officers of TEWU of TUC-Ghana took their oath of office, administered by the Deputy TUC Secretary General, Joshua Ansah. He charged them to uphold the trust and confidence reposed in them by the members and not do anything that would disappoint the membership of the union and the trade union movement in general. Mr Ansah also urged the membership to support the new leaders to help them achieve their desired goals for the next quadrennial and beyond.
In a brief acceptance speech, Madam Braimah articulated TEWU’s commitment to rapid transformation aimed at securing enhanced working conditions for members. She emphasized inclusivity, improvement in the union’s visibility through innovative programs and projects, and sustaining a vibrant union where meeting the legitimate demands of the TEWU members would be non-negotiable.
Madam Braimah further stated in an interview with journalists that the leadership aimed to make the union more attractive to retain and attract new members, while also ensuring that the rank and file enjoyed the dues being deducted. She expressed the leadership’s desire for all-inclusiveness, capacity-building workshops for members, enhanced communication, and improved visibility of the union.
The newly elected General Secretary, Mr Azortibah, emphasized the leadership’s readiness to engage its social partners constructively but cautioned employers against adopting a business-as-usual approach during negotiations with the new TEWU national officers. He indicated that the new leadership would not hesitate to call members to action to push for what was legitimately due them in case of delay tactics during negotiations on the demands of members.
