The West African Health Sector Unions Network (WAHSUN) has said that the adoption of the neo-liberal policies by African governments has resulted in widespread poverty and conflict in African countries.
The group said it was disturbed that efforts of states and multilateral economic institutions towards economic recovery have presented working people with austerity measures which can only offer jobless recovery without improving the living conditions of the people.
The group made the assertion at the end of its 8th plenary session at the International Trade Union Confederation-Africa (ITUC-Africa) secretariat in Lome – Togo. It posited that the neo-liberal model of development which has been dominant in the policies and legislations of countries worldwide in general and in Africa in particular has not been viable, but rather led to widespread poverty.
The group in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting unequivocally condemned the recovery policies and programmes for the global economy that do not put jobs and the defence of public services at their core, and called for the adoption of a new pro-people development paradigm.
It appreciated the consolidation of democracies within the West African sub-continent and noted that the adverse impacts of diverse forms of political conflicts on the lives of working people, particularly in Sierra Leone and Liberia, are gradually being overcome, though scars are still very obvious on economies and the living conditions of working people.
It however noted that for democracy to actually be expressive of the government of the people, by the people for the people, the voice of working people, comprising the majority of the population should not only be heard, but factored into the policies and programmes of states.
According to the group, trade unions and civil society organisations should be involved in the decision-making processes and structures of states as this would include social dialogue and referendums on issues of critical importance to the public.
The communiqué reads in part: “The present state of crisis which the world economy is in reflects the fact which unions have upheld for the past three decades that the neo-liberal model of development which has been dominant in the policies and legislations of countries worldwide in general and in Africa in particular is not viable.
“It has led to widespread poverty and conflicts on the continent despite the increase in wealth generated which has been appropriated by a tiny minority of domestic elite and multinational corporations.
“WAHSUN-in-session was disturbed that efforts of states and multilateral economic institutions towards economic recovery have presented bailouts to private sector corporations which bear responsibility for throwing the world economy into crisis in the first place and present working people with austerity measures which can only offer jobless recovery that is if it does not lead to a double dip recession.
“The impact of these austerity measures on workers and on social services such as public healthcare delivery cannot but be dire.
“WAHSUN-in-session unequivocally condemns recovery policies and programmes for the global economy that do not put jobs and the defence of public services at their core. WAHSUN-in-session similarly calls for the adoption of a new pro-people development paradigm and the abandoning of neo-liberalism, which governments and international organisations still hold onto and with which they continue to perpetuate outsourcing, privatisation, deregulation, etc, despite its clearly demonstrated bankruptcy.
“WAHSUN appreciated the consolidation of democracies within the West African sub-continent. The adverse impacts of diverse forms of political conflicts on the lives of working people in a not too distant past, particularly in Sierra Leone and Liberia, are gradually being overcome, though scars are still very obvious on economies and the living conditions of working people”, the communiqué added.