By Sally Oneke in Buea, Cameroon
On May 1st, 2012, Cameroon joined the rest of the world to commemorate the 126th Labor Day. “Tripartism and Social Cohesion” was this year’s theme. On that note, the people of South West Region of Cameroon assembled in Limbe town to celebrate.
Limbe is the regional head office for Cameroon’s Labor and Social Security that organized and hosted the celebrations at the regional level in the presence of the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Fako, Bona Ebenge Francoise.
Match Pass at Labor Day Celebration in Limbe South West Region
While Labor Day is looked upon as some feast day and opportunity to exhibit businesses, in the year 1886 Labor Day took effect. It was a day set aside by workmen to seek rights which are due, a day that so many workers lost their lives in the city of Chicago, USA — all in the efforts to be heard and to fight for their rights.
The occasion was graced with speeches from trade union authorities of the South West Region and SDO Bona Ebenge. They spoke on behalf of workers by calling on the employers to respect the rights of employees, to increase minimum wage in Cameroon from 18,500frs to 50,000frs CFA, to provide them with a safe working conditions and to create an atmosphere for dialogue between employers and employees. The SDO assured workers that the authorities will do their best to provide and keep favorable working conditions.
There was Match Pass by different labor groups: financial institutions, security workers, and plantation workers from Cameroon Tea Estate and Cameroon Development (CDC) Delmonte, who exhibited their products as they match across the Manga Williams Avenue from Down Beach towards Newtown.
