Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has charged union members in the agricultural and forestry sectors to strengthen collaboration and fight against the destruction of Ghana’s forest.

He said the basic resources which guaranteed the continued survival of workers in agriculture, forest and crop research were the soil and the forest.

These resources are, however, under severe threat due to wanton degradation and destruction.

There is, therefore, the need for them to exhibit greater commitment and devise collaborative strategies that would promote sustainable forest management to guarantee sustainable and decent work for their members.

Dr Baah made the call at the opening of the 10th quadrennial delegates’ conference of the Timber and wood Workers Union (TWWU) of TUC in Kumasi.

The three-day conference was on the theme: “Sustainable forest management in the changing world of work: The role of the union.”

Dr Baah said the TUC was in the process of adopting a resolution to establish labour banks across the country to provide flexible credit facilities to support workers to acquire their own houses.

The aim, he said, was to relieve workers of high rent charges while providing decent homes for those who retired from active service.

Dr Baah called for unity among workers to help sustain the strength and solidarity in the fight for better conditions of service for all.

Mr Mark Ofori Asante, Acting General Secretary of TWWU, stressed the need for members of the union to embrace the use of modern technology and social media platforms to educate the public on the need to protect the forest.

He said reducing forest losses, promoting increased tree planting in communities and limiting human-caused disturbances of the forest were the surest way to guarantee sustainable and decent work in the forest and agricultural sectors.