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We Shall Lead The Working Population To Resist Any IMF Restrictions – TUC
The Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) says it will resist any attempt by Government through an International Monetary Fund (IMF) sponsored programme to impose restrictions on sectors of the economy that will bring hardships to workers.
Dr Yaw Baah, Secretary General of the Congress, said: “TUC will lead the working people of Ghana to resist any attempts to impose hardships on workers and their families and the population as a whole.”
Speaking in a press conference on the topic “Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA) and the National Economic Situation,” he said IMF-sponsored programmes and policies had been completely divorced from reality and would only impose hardships on Ghanaians.
The Secretary-General said they were reminding the Government that as part of the negotiations for 2021 and 2022 base pay, they had agreed to four and seven percent pay increases respectively on the condition that the government would not declare redundancies.
“And that Government will continue to employ young people into the public service,” he said.
Dr Baah said they kicked against the Government going to IMF bailout 17 times because they had mentioned that one of the main challenges in the management of the economy had to do with corruption.
He said others were the failure on the part of successive governments to transform the structure of the economy to allow Ghanaians ‘to produce what we eat and eat what we produce.’
Organised Labour, led by the TUC reached an agreement with Government for a 15 per cent CoLA for all workers on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS), effective July 1, 2022.
Meanwhile, Dr Yaw Baah said, the struggle for good standard of living was not over because the cost-of-living crisis was not over as inflation had hit 29.8 per cent and there were no signs that it would decline soon.
He said young people, educated at great costs to their parents and the nation, were struggling to get jobs that would be commensurate with their levels of education and skills.
“The national economic outlook remains grim, and we relish in the glory of not only securing a lifeline for struggling workers but also avoiding a potential disaster on the labour scene.
Source: GNA
The Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for stronger action to promote gender equity and create more opportunities for women in the workplace.
She made the call in a Facebook post after joining staff at the Presidency of Ghana to mark International Women’s Day.
The celebration was held under the theme “From Commitment to Action: Promoting Equity for Every Woman in the Workplace” and focused on recognising the achievements of women while reflecting on the work needed to ensure equal opportunities.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang extended warm wishes to women across Ghana and noted that women have always played key roles in the country’s communities and economic activities.
According to her, women in the past served as healers, traders and queen mothers who contributed to leadership and governance in traditional societies.
She explained that Ghana’s cultural history shows that women have long provided knowledge, leadership and innovation to help develop communities.
The Vice President however noted that current disparities require society to examine systems and structures that may have limited opportunities for women.
She stressed that advancing gender equity will require deliberate actions and the mentoring of young women to prepare them for leadership roles.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang recognised women whose work takes place in markets, streets and small trading spaces across the country.
According to her, these women form the backbone of local economies and continue to demonstrate resilience despite the difficult conditions they face.
She commended women working at the Presidency for their dedication and leadership and reaffirmed the need to promote respect, fairness and opportunity for every woman.
The Vice President further called on both men and women to work together to break barriers and ensure that women can fully contribute to Ghana’s development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
