Labour Congress conducts seminar for workforce

In an effort to enhance workforce productivity, the Liberia Labour Congress has conducted a two-day capacity building seminar in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County for employees in the Extractive Industries.

The seminar was held over the weekend under the theme, “Enhancing LEITI Multi-stakeholders Steering Group Feedback and Promote Awareness on Extractive Resource Governance.”  It brought together 60 participants from the Extractive Industries across the 15 political sub- divisions of Liberia.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Deputy Secretariat General for Administration of the Liberia Labour Congress,ObediahTarlue, said the exercise was intended to educate members on LEITI’s group operation and how it contributes to the resource governance of the country.

He said the program also encourages active sustainable participation with members of the Labour Congress in activities relating to the Multi-Stakeholders Steering Group, which will provide feedback through their representative and support LEITI’s engagement and reportsdissemination process throughout the country.

Tarlue said in the extractive industries, not much has been done in terms of monitoring something, which he said is responsible for members not understanding issues that affect the extractive sector. He pointed out that the society building initiative will now promote and enhance understanding of the dynamics of fostering cooperation between government and the labour congress.

He said the congress looks forward to new turn of collaboration with the Government of Liberia as the Bassa seminar was intended to help government outlined policy issues that benefit the country’s workforce.  Also speaking at the seminar, LEITI’s deputy head of secretariat, Myer Saye said, Africa continues to experience population growth without development, which has resulted to increasing poverty, something he said, prompted the establishment of the LEITI to campaign for the proper usage of each country’s natural resources income generation.

He said in order to discuss the root cause of Liberia’s problems; the mismanagement of the country’s natural resources over past decades should be first highlighted. Myer stressed that it is time for mineral rich countries to come up with strategies in addressing the economic hardship of their citizens.

He noted that transparency in the natural resource sector should also be given a top priority if Liberia and other countries should succeed in meeting their development goals.  The deputy head of secretariat reminded the public that his institution will continue to monitor concession companies and their agreements with the government to report findings to the public.

“As part of ensuring transparency in the resource sector, we want to make sure that everybody be on par with the information in the sector, he added”. Meanwhile, participants from the seminar have commended both the Labour Congress and the LEITI for what they called an eye-opening in Buchanan.

Theypledged to remain supportive to endeavours that seek to transform the sector and their personal lives. By Ben P. Wesee – Editing by Jonathan Browne