Minority salutes Ghanaian workers
The Minority in Parliament has congratulated Ghanaian workers on this year’s May Day Celebration and urged them to continue to make Ghana work as never before.
“We commend you for your tireless, hard work and tenacity of purpose in spite of the odds and challenges that confront you in your line of duty”.
A statement issued and signed by Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader noted that 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.
He implored Ghanaian workers to persist in their daily services to keep the country as a functioning economy through sweat and hard work.
He also noted with apprehension recent happenings in the country that threatened the values Ghanaians held dear since the current administration ushered into office in January 2017.
It particularly expressed worry that elements associated with the current administration attacked public institutions, forced out workers of these institutions and in many instances physically assaulted lawful employees all in the name of “Political takeovers”.
He said this situation had created fear and panic among the Ghanaian work force and to a large extent limited 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 offensive mass worker transfer, forced resignation, politically motivated “proceed on leave” directives and unlawful termination of engagements within the public and civil service under the President Nana Akuffo Addo leadership”.
The statement further noted that 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 would 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.
He questioned whether the Ghanaian worker could feel the signs of 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 per cent, high cost of utility, non-improvement in electric power supply and stagnating worker wages and salaries.
The statement also said the disheartening signs Ghanaians 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 fault of theirs as well as recent demonstrations by trainee nurses over a freeze on their employment by the Nana Addo government.
He said the Minority in Parliament strongly solidarise with the labour front in pressurising the NPP government to ensure 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.
Source: GNA