May Day is a public holiday usually celebrated on May 1, to recognise the contributions of workers to economies around the world.

[contextly_sidebar id=”RaT1ythBGzG7Rnf7H3PbrnSz6rsaztKZ”]In Ghana, thousands of workers, both in private and public sector, observed the day with  parades across the country, during which they drew government’s attention to pertinent issues affecting the Ghanaian worker.

The President, Nana Akufo-Addo, later addressed the populace, and assured workers of better conditions of service, whiles urging them to work harder.

In a Facebook post today, Monday, May 1, 2017, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, a successful entrepreneur, believes such days will be meaningful when deliberate efforts are made to promote the interest of the Ghanaian worker.

Below is Dr. Nduom’s post on May Day

From 1 May 2016 to 1 May 2017 Where Are We?

On May 1 2016, I wrote this:

“MAKE A GHANAIAN WORKER HAPPY – BUY MADE IN GHANA TODAY

Imagine what would happen if we all bought ‘Made in Ghana’. There would be more jobs, bigger and more profitable companies, more tax revenue to government and our people would enjoy a higher quality of life. It seems simple, and it is.

We must make sure the school feeding and any such state sponsored program use food items grown and processed in Ghana. State-owned enterprises must only buy goods and services produced in the country but allowed to import on exceptional basis. At least 40% of major infrastructure contracts must go to indigenous companies.

Government must use its tax mandate to give a competitive edge to local goods and services. The state must check the abuse of free zone permits by companies who turn around to dump products in our local markets to the disadvantage of others.

This would require guts, staying power and a determination to fight off threats from those who represent external interests. ……….. Imagine what would happen on May Day 2017!”

So this is just a follow up. I am still on the same point. Where are we? What are we doing to make it necessary for everyone to buy Made In Ghana?
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Buy made in Ghana, Make a Ghanaian worker happy – Nduom on May Day appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, majority of the Ghanaian workforce after arriving at work , spend most of the time praying and engaging in other unproductive activities.

[contextly_sidebar id=”tSPIrk4R4cWxcg1ZzGJAFV5mQ6T4bs0v”]Speaking at the May Day Parade at the Black Star Square, the President said some of these employees even leave the office ahead of the official closing time.

“We arrive at work late and then spend the first hour in prayer, we become clock watchers and leave in the middle of critical work because it is the official closing time. Everything comes to a stop when it rains and we seem to expect the rest of the world also to stop.”

“We have no respect for the hours set aside for work. We pray, we eat, we visit during working hours. We spend hours chatting on the telephone… we take a week off for every funeral and then we wonder why we are not competitive,” President Akufo-Addo stated.

The President therefore charged workers to rise above the lackadaisical status quo for Ghana to realize its full potential.

We want 51% in ECG privatization compact- Nana Addo declares

President Nana Addo also touched on other issues, including government’s stance on the Private Sector Participation (PSP) compact of the Electricity Company of Ghana, with the Millenuim Challenge Corporation (MCC), saying government will stand by its decision to amend the deal.

Under the agreement, which is known as the Power Compact II, government is expected to allow about 80 percent private sector control in ECG for the country to benefit from a cash injection of about one billion US dollars over a period of 5 years.

But speaking to Ghanaian workers at the celebration of May Day in Accra, Nana Akufo-Addo maintained that government wants more than the 20 percent control agreed by the former government, to protect ECG workers from being sacked.

“Government has amended the terms of the concession agreement to require that one; Ghanaians own at least 51 percent of the concession. Two, there should be no involuntary layoffs as a result of the concession,” he stressed adding that, “the term of the concession will be reduced from 25 years to 20 years”
President Akufo-Addo observed that the new terms will benefit Ghanaians and protect ECG workers, who have been apprehensive over the compact.

“We believe that these amendments meet the aspiration of Ghanaians in protecting the jobs of workers and ensuring the control and viability of ECG. We are as concerned as the workers that, the reform should not lead to involuntary job losses and we should find a long term solution to the nation’s electricity problem,” he said.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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The 60th annual May Day celebrations set aside to celebrate workers in the country is on the theme “Ghana @60: Mobilizing for Ghana’s future through the creation of decent jobs”.

Be more committed to Ghana – Nana Addo to workers

As Ghanaian workers celebrate May Day, President Nana Akufo-Addo has charged public sector workers to rise above the lackadaisical status quo if Ghana is to realize its potential for growth.

In his address at the May Day parade at the Black Star Square in Accra, President Akufo-Addo bemoaned the poor attitude of public workers to work, which are anchored in stereotypes which are viewed as the norm in the civil service.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Volta May Day celebration marred by rain [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In his address at the May Day parade at the Black Star Square, President Akufo-Addo bemoaned the poor attitude of public workers to work, which are anchored in stereotypes which are viewed as the norm in the civil service.

[contextly_sidebar id=”aEQ46GMJUpSBcTmu2IjjUIHRCyimb3pQ”]In the discourse around fueling progress, the President noted that “we avoid mentioning workplace attitudes that retard our progress.”

“We arrive at work late and then spend the first hour in prayer, we become clock watchers and leave in the middle of critical work because it is the official closing time. Everything comes to a stop when it rains and we seem to expect the rest of the world also to stop.”

“We have no respect for the hours set aside for work. We pray, we eat, we visit during working hours. We spend hours chatting on the telephone… we take a week off for every funeral and then we wonder why we are not competitive,” President Akufo-Addo stated.

He further noted the shoddy work carried out on government projects in recent times as contributing the retarded development of the country.

“How come very old classroom blocks withstand storms and heavy rainfall whilst the roofs of nearby newly built ones are ripped off regularly. How come that we built roads that are expected to last through five years but do not make it through one rainy season before the fail and potholes appear.”

“The workers on the road, the contractors and all the consultants all conspire to deliver the shoddy work that prevents us from getting from where we ought to be.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Elvis Van Lare who bemoaned the recent cases of abuse of workers said workers particularly those in the free zone sector are more vulnerable since most of them are denied the right to form unions.

He insisted the free zone companies were not exempted from the application of the Labour Act thus workers in those sectors must be allowed to form unions to protect and defend their economic and social interests.

He also called on the government to adequately equip the various workers unions to promote the welfare of workers in Ghana.

Elvis Van Lare was speaking in an interview with Citi News at the Volta Regional commemoration of the Workers in Keta.

The 60th annual May Day celebrations set aside to celebrate workers in the country is on the theme “Ghana @60: Mobilizing for Ghana’s future through the creation of decent jobs”.

The TUC Regional secretary also called on the government to provide the necessary resources to the various workers unions in the country to effectively and efficiently protect the interests of their workers.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Volta May Day: Let workers in Free Zones unionize [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”QIfW3kEN1rzT9ntHQOF9ahnEDnYAcBS7″]He said the workers deserve commendation for their many years of service to ensure the growth and sustenance of the country’s economy.

In a series of social media updates to commemorate May Day, John Mahama said the hard work of Ghanaian workers must not be derailed.

“We have yet another opportunity to salute our gallant workers who have over the years contributed towards the growth and sustenance of our economy. The sacrifices, hardwork and ingenuity of the Ghanaian Worker should not be detailed,” he said in a Facebook post.

Ghanaian workers today [May 1] are joining millions of workers across the world to mark May Day, known in some countries as Workers’ Day.

The day is set aside to recognize and celebrate the contribution of Ghanaian workers to nation building.

The national May Day celebration and parade is being held at the Independence Square in Accra under the theme, “Ghana @ 60: Mobilising Ghana’s Future through the creation of Decent Jobs.”

John Mahama under his presidency witnessed a number of labour agitations over the non-payment of salaries and poor working conditions.

Although his government undertook key projects and actions in the interest of the country’s labour force, it bore the brunt of the unions especially over their failure to swiftly act to address some of their concerns.

The NDC government for instance in October 2015 increased the minimum wage from GH¢7 to GH¢8.

Around the same time, it increased the basic salary of public sector workers by 10% under the Single Spine Pay Policy.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the party, the government has since assumption of office superintended over developments that worsened the plights of Ghanaian workers.

[contextly_sidebar id=”kyjMm0mQqKLsOOWKsT0gkbtlIpCV8vmw”]It said the government has seen to the sharp increase in the prices of goods and services and a corresponding increase in the cost of living.

It added that the government had failed to reduce the cost of utilities in spite of its pre-election campaign promises to that effect.

In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NDC said, “The Akufo Addo government’s inexplicable belief in the “job for the boys” philosophy also threatens to render valuable human resources in the various MDA’s redundant following the engagement of a legion of special assistants and advisors who wield more influence and power than very senior public and civil servants in many MDAs despite possessing limited qualifications.”

It further urged the government to ensure the creation of sustainable jobs for the thousands of unemployed youth rather than “dismissing thousands from post and putting others in their place”, which it said, “does not create or sustain decent jobs. It simply gives employment to some and unemployment to others.”

The statement further assured Ghanaian workers that it [NDC] was committed to protecting their interest both in government and in opposition.

Read the full statement below:
On the occasion of the celebration of May Day, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) extends its warmest felicitations to, and solidarity with Ghanaian workers whose sweat and toil continues to keeps the wheels of state running.

As Social Democrats, we fully associate with the struggles and aspirations of all Ghanaian workers as we mark this important world-wide occasion. We recognise the immense sacrifices and contributions that labour has made over the years and its partnership with various governments and like-minded organisations to bring development and progress to our dear nation.

This year’s celebration is being marked against the backdrop of many difficulties which threaten the wellbeing of Ghanaian workers. We note with regret that for the first time in recent memory, Ghanaian public sector workers have been forced to mark this important day without receiving their monthly salary.

This will no doubt impinge adversely on their ability to meet critical needs of their families and dependents. This show of insensitivity on the part of the Akufo Addo government will inflict more hardships on workers who have already had to contend with sky rocketing prices of goods and services and a general increase in the cost of living.

The plight of the Ghanaian worker has further been worsened by the failure of the Akufo Addo government to keep faith with them through the non-fulfilment of key electoral promises. There has been no significant reduction in the price of electricity and fuel as promised by then candidate Akufo Addo and the NPP in the run up to the 2016 elections.

In the face of these hardships however, the Akufo Addo government has favoured platitudes and empty rhetoric instead of the implementation of concrete policies to alleviate the suffering of the worker and Ghanaians at large.

This rhetoric has however been undermined by a naked show of ostentation and a money-guzzling approach to governance. Instead of pumping resources into productive sectors to expand the frontiers of employment for the hundreds of thousands of unemployed youth, the Akufo Addo government has rather chosen to burden the tax payer through the installation of an unnecessarily large and over-bloated government.

The Akufo Addo government’s inexplicable belief in the “job for the boys” philosophy also threatens to render valuable human resources in the various MDA’s redundant following the engagement of a legion of special assistants and advisors who wield more influence and power than very senior public and civil servants in many MDAs despite possessing limited qualifications.

This has in turn resulted in an over-concentration of excessively huge amounts of tax payers’ money in the Presidency to the disadvantage of Ministries, Departments and Agencies where the bulk of government business is conducted.
In order to fund this large government size, vital state agencies including all the country’s universities, major hospitals including all psychiatric hospitals and the National Blood Bank have been asked to surrender their Internally Generated Funds while the Office of the President alone has been given more money in this fiscal year alone than what the same office took between 2013 and 2016 put together.

Additionally, the government has sought to siphon monies from statutory funds such as GetFund, NHIS and the District Assemblies Common Fund through the placement of a cap on how much monies can accrue to these funds. Apart from being a glaring violation of the law, this move will cripple the Education and Health sectors since these Funds have become so central to their financing.
We also note with concern the mis-treatment of some public sector workers who have been dismissed for no justifiable reason apart from having been employed by the previous government.

We encourage the Government to pay heed to the theme of this year’s May Day celebration;; “Ghana @60: Mobilizing for Ghana’s Future through the creation of Decent Jobs”. We want to remind the Akuffo Addo government that, dismissing thousands from post and putting others in their place does not create or sustain decent jobs. It simply gives employment to some and unemployment to others.”

The people of Ghana await with baited breath the creation and sustenance of millions of decent jobs.

The extreme partisanship being introduced into the Ghanaian public sector is inherently dangerous and will lead to a polarised and ineffective public service if not nipped in the bud. Aggravating the bloated government size are the early signs of corruption and cronyism as can be seen in the instances of the US$ 2.25 billion Bond Scandal and the acceptance of lavish hospitality from AMERI, a company that this government claims to be “investigating”.

These worrying developments aside, we also note with regret, the plight of newly trained nurses who have had to protest sometimes under very trying conditions to press home their demands for employment. We particularly regret the short-sighted and partisan decision by the Akufo Addo government to set aside the recruitment process long started by the immediate past NDC government which would have seen thousands of newly-trained nurses gainfully employed in the many world-class hospitals built by the Mahama Administration.

We urge government to take steps to address the concerns of these nurses with the view to employing them as soon as possible.

Finally, we urge the Akufo Addo government to ensure the completion and full implementation of a number of policy and legislative measures aimed at further protecting the interests of Ghanaian workers. These include;
• The Marrakesh Maternity Convention which was approved by the immediate past cabinet and;

• The Domestic Workers Regulation aimed at safeguarding and protecting Domestic Workers

We salute all Ghanaian workers on this auspicious day and re-iterate our commitment as a Social Democratic Party to place the plight of workers at the very top of our agenda both in government and in opposition.

Signed.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia
(General Secretary)

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the minority, the Akufo-Addo government has so far created a system that frustrates the growth of labour.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xI81H4dFUVsT2JlcsSy8kIHVVIw3H7wF”]In a statement to commemorate this year’s May Day celebration, the Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu said the it was unfortunate that the NPP government forced some workers to resign and ordered others proceed on leave upon its assumption of office.

“It is sad to note that elements associated with this current administration attacked public institutions, forced out workers of these institutions and in many instances physically assaulted these lawful employees all in the name of ‘political takeovers.

This situation has created fear and panic among the Ghanaian work force and to a large extent limiting the free friendly worker environment that existed before the change of government on 7th January, 2017,” he said.

Read the full statement below:

STATEMENT BY THE NDC MINORITY IN PARLIAMNET IN COMMEMORATION OF MAY DAY

Today marks another important milestone for the working class of our society. We the minority in Parliament in line with the May Day Celebration, join other stakeholders to salute the Ghanaian worker on this day and to urge them to continue to make Ghana work as never before. We commend you (the workforce of Ghana) for your tireless, hard work and tenacity of purpose in spite of the odds and challenges that confront you in your line of duty.

The workers’ front in the recent past has demonstrated its capabilities in freedom and dignity, proving their wealth in a well-motivated atmosphere and achieving results without intimidation or fear from any quarters.

While we implore you, the workforce of Ghana to persist in your daily services that have kept our beloved country as a functioning economy through sweat and hard work, we are also apprehensive about recent happenings  in our country that threaten the values we hold dear since the Nana Addo’s Presidency was ushered into office in January 2017.

It is sad to note that elements associated with this current administration attacked public institutions, forced out workers of these institutions and in many instances physically assaulted these lawful employees all in the name of ‘political takeovers.

This situation has created fear and panic among the Ghanaian work force and to a large extent limiting the free friendly worker environment that existed before the change of government on 7th January, 2017.

As a democratic society, we continue to witness unfortunately obscene mass worker transfers, forced resignations, politically motivated ‘proceed on leave’ directives and unlawful termination of engagements within the public and civil service under the President Nana Akuffo Addo leadership.

However, on 1st May, 2016, then opposition leader, Nana Akuffo Addo, in a statement to workers on the day, confidently assured the very opposite to the malaise the labour front in Ghana is currently experiencing. At the time he said within a short space of time, the Ghanaian worker will experience improved wages, reduced cost of living, increased job opportunities, with a value addition in industrialisation to create jobs with good pay across Ghana, while maintaining a safe and peaceful worker environment necessary for the progressive programmes and policies that the NPP have for the people of Ghana.

The question is can the Ghanaian worker feel the signs of realising these promises made by President Nana Akuffo Addo a year ago in the midst of current rising cost of living, increases in transport fares by 15%,  high cost of utility bills, non-improvement in electric power supply and stagnating worker wages and salaries.

Sadly, the disheartening signs we see and feel today include threat of  26,589 lawful employees who are on the verge of losing their salaries for failure of not being captured onto the SSNIT Biometric Register through no faults of theirs as well as recent demonstrations by trainee nurses over a freeze on their employment by  the Nana Addo Government.

As the Minority in Parliament, we are in strong solidarity with the labour front in pressurising the NPP government to ensuring that the liberties of the Ghanaian worker is not infringed upon, while cooperating  with all efforts targeted at improved cost of living and the dignity of the Ghanaian workforce.

Long Live the Labour Force of Ghana!!!

Long Live Ghana!!!

Minority Leader.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the group, the government has failed to pay them their seven-month arrears in spite of assurances to do so.

Today, 1^st May is celebrated across the world as International Labour Day known in Ghana as May Day.

It is in commemoration of labourers and the working class who build the country.

May Days are declared national holidays with National parades are held across the country to celebrate the efforts of Ghanaian workers.

Workers of all professions, including teachers, take part in such national parades but the group say they would not take part in this year’s parade because they believe the government is taking them for granted.

The secretary of the coalition, Charles Chetu who spoke to Citi News on Sunday said, the Controller and Accountant General’s Department is yet to tell them when their salaries would be paid.

“As we speak, we haven’t been paid. Today [Sunday] is 30^th of April. We are going to mark workers day tomorrow. Teachers, specifically we haven’t been paid, not to even talk about our arrears so we have decided that since the government, our employers have taken us for granted then we will not participate in the workers day celebrations.”

Charles Chetu added that, “As we speak now, we are hungry and we cannot participate in that program. To worsen our plight schools are reopening this week and we are expected to report to our various places of work and unfortunately, we haven’t been paid. Controller and Accountant General’s Department has not even communicated to us even on the delayed payment of salaries. How are we reporting to these places of work and how are we going to survive until when they are happy they pay us our money so we think the best thing is that we stay away off since we are not considered relevant in the running of the affairs of this country.”

Meanwhile, President Nana Akufo-Addo will later today [Monday] address Ghanaian workers at the national celebration of May Day at the Black Star square in Accra.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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