Northern Regional Minister urges labour front to embrace peace and unity

At a Workers Day celebration in Tamale, the Northern Regional Minister, Honorable. Shani Alhassan Shaibu, urged the labour front to always embrace peace and unity so that they can live together in a stable and harmonious environment.

He appealed to Organized labour to respect the laws of negotiation and salary determination so there can be harmony. “It is always appropriate for workers to channel all grievances to the legally mandated institutions responsible for their welfare, including the labour commission, fair wages, and salaries commission among others for arbitration and amicable settlement before resorting to demonstrations and strikes,” he said.

He commended Organized Workers for their hard work, support, and efforts over the years which have contributed immensely towards the developmental agenda of the country and improving the lives of our people.

He said that the theme for this year’s May Day celebration, “Protecting Jobs and Income in the Era of Covid19 Pandemic and beyond” is very appropriate, as many workers remained resolute and continued to do their bit, despite the pandemic, to keep the system going.

He added that it was the contribution of the very efforts of workers that secured the country and its modest gains in terms of productivity and the GDP growth we recorded despite covid.

He lamented that the combination of Covid 19 and the Russia-Ukraine war has unleashed a very great challenge to the development of all nations. In light of this, he added that efforts are still being made to use employment and social policy tools to counter the economic and social impact of the covid19 crisis by ensuring employers, businesses, and workers are provided with liquidity and strengthened income support for workers and their families.

The Northern Regional Secretary of TUC, Madam Felicia lamented the hardship workers and their families have had to endure, especially in the last few years ago. 

“Minimum Wage earners are currently receiving GH¢13.53 a day or GH¢365 per month, which is below the US$1.9 dollars a day and the international poverty line. In recent months salaries have lost over a third of their real values as prices of essential commodities, including food and fuel, continue to increase daily. Between January and March this year, fuel prices increased by over 50%. A litre of petrol is now selling for over GH¢10,” she indicated.

She, therefore, called on the government to suspend all taxes and levies on petrol, diesel, LGP, and kerosene until the International, as well as H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to ensure that the reward system in the entire public sector, including emoluments for article 71 office holders and top management of state-owned enterprises, is totally over lauded. 

She revealed that, nearly 60% of all pensions on Social Security and National Endurance Trust (SSNIT) payroll receive less than GH¢1000 per month and approximately 90% less than GH¢2000 per month.

She appealed to the President to come to the aid of all the retirees on the SSNIT scheme who have been short-changed in their benefits since January 2020 due to the implementation of Act766.

Meanwhile, the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) in the region has also celebrated the 2022 May Day at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.

According to the Northern Regional Secretary of CLOSAG, Yushawu Abdul Latif, the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda can only succeed through improved revenue generation, but ought to be done with a human face.

He added that the association would wish that the government pays more attention to revenue mobilization while recognizing that some of its revenue mobilization strategies would eventually lead to hardships for the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).