March 19, 2024
Labour leaders have expressed concerns about the rising debt profiles of African countries.
They said the perennial consequences of the growing debt of countries in Africa are suffocating workers and the living condition of the people, hence, a call for action.
The labour leaders noted that the huge debt of countries in Africa has further weakened the liberation and development of the continent, worsening job losses, increasing poverty and hunger.
They spoke at the ongoing African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) New Year School in Lusaka, Zambia.
General Secretary, ITUC-Africa, Comrade Akhator Odigie called for decisive action to address the continent’s rising debt profile.
Odiegie said: “As the General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, I am acutely aware of the profound impact that the debt crisis has had on the lives of millions of workers and citizens across our continent, including workers in Zambia. From wage freezes to dwindling social protections, the ramifications of unsustainable debt are far-reaching and deeply troubling.
“It is imperative that we take decisive action to address this issue and chart a path toward a more equitable and sustainable future for all Africans.”
President, ITUC-Africa, Martha Molema said trade unions in Africa have resolved to constructively engage governments instead of lamenting, as they advance the transformational agenda of the continent.
Molema said: “At the heart of our mission lies the recognition that trade unions must not be mere voices of lamentation and complaint but be voices for pragmatic solutions through education.”
President, Zambian Congress of Trade Unions, Comrade Blake Malala who declared the four day workshop opened, said: “The borrowing affects the innocent citizens, the future and growth of our countries more than its benefits. It affects workers’ wages. Workers and the citizens at large are being suffocated by the dire consequences of the loans and the huge debt, this is because they don’t utilise it well.
“We the trade unions in Africa are not going to spend our time lamenting, rather we will begin to carry out checks and balances on our governments. We will not leave the politicians alone to handle the affairs of our continent anymore. It is time for African leaders to govern to make Africa prosperous and developed to prevent our young ones from dying in the Mediterranean Sea all the time.
“We are not a body of opposition against the government but we will provide checks and balances in the interest of good governance and a better Africa for all. We will support the government but we will check its policies and ensure it doesn’t suffocate or mortgage our countries and the lives of our children. And this is the message we are sending across Africa to our governments.
“We will not vote in careless leaders that will further put Africa and its citizens into a sinking boat anymore. The debt issue is big. It has affected African governments’ bargaining process and power. Governments across Africa borrow money but how they use the money we don’t know. Time has come for trade unions in Africa to start asking questions on how our governments utilise the monies they borrow. Time has come for labour unions in Africa to play a rich role when our governments engage in this issue of borrowing, because the debt crisis is affecting the whole continent.
“We urge the media to help us in louding our voice on this issue of our governments’ borrowing. Because of this borrowing and its consequences, many multinational companies in Africa don’t respect our labour laws. They treat our workers and people unfairly in the name of employment. This is a challenge that affects many workers specifically in the private sector across Africa. We call on those who support fair labour treatment across the world to join us in this crusade against indecent work practices in the African continent.”
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