Mr Edward Kareweh, Deputy General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), has called on government to reassess the export-led development strategy to make it more effective for accelerated development.
He therefore entreated government to search for alternative development strategies with well-defined roles to create linkages between the public and private sectors.
Mr Kareweh said this at celebration of the 50th Milestone of GAWU of the Ghana Trades Union Congress at Hohoe in the Volta Region.
It was under the theme: "Stop, Think and Rethink on the Economy".
He said export-led economic growth strategy could not bring the desired development unless "we consciously and strategically breakaway from the agricultural and primary commodity dependency."
Mr Kareweh said GAWU was drawing quick lessons from the pervasive global crises in food, financial and economic downturn and climate change.
He said these were vivid pointers for strategic planning towards ameliorating its effects on agriculture.
He said some successes were chalked in advocacy on Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), multilateral trade, food security and agriculture, occupational health and safety, child labour in the fishing and cocoa industries, trade union rights and importation of rice and poultry products.
Mr Kareweh admonished Ghanaians to rally behind key advocacy demands of GAWU to make government more accountable to the masses.
Mr Maxwell Akoto-Mireku, Volta Regional Secretary of GTUC, urged GAWU to extend its coverage to the agricultural sector especially workers in the informal sector who were confronted by a myriad of problems.
He suggested swift action on post harvest losses, processing of agricultural produce during glut to accomplish food security for all.
Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of Gbi Traditional Area, appealed to the Department of Town and Country Planning to evolve strategies for judicious use of land in order not to deny future generations of land for livelihood.
He called on political leaders to be faithful to the masses and distribute equitably the nation's wealth.
Mr Kweku Haligah, a founding father and former General Secretary of GAWU and Mr E. K. Amenya, former Principal Industrial Relations Officer of GAWU were honoured for their distinguished dedication to the Union.
As part of the anniversary, 25 trainees who graduated in snail rearing, mushroom, grasscutter and bee-keeping were presented with certificates.
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