President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has insisted that his government has done enough to demonstrate to workers unrelenting resolve in cushioning them against hardships following the aftermath of the global economic crisis and the Russia invasion of Ukraine.
He explained that the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, coupled with COVID-19 pandemic scuttled a lot of economies on the African continent and it took his visionary economic management team to devise measures in mitigating the impact of the crisis on the citizenry.
According to him, “all the measures deployed to tackle the ailing economy following the external factors is clear manifestation that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration has the plight of workers, their dependants and every Ghanaian at heart, and will continue to shoulder the responsibility towards restoring hope and confidence to the economy”.
President Akufo-Addo was addressing this year’s national May Day marked in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region on Monday which attracted workers’ unions across the country-including the Coalition of Concern Teachers of Ghana ((CCT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Railway Workers Union of Ghana (RWU), General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), among others,who thronged the Jubilee park in Bolgatanga to grace the occasion.
This year’s national May Day parade was observed on the theme: Protecting incomes and pensions in an era of economic crises-Our responsibility’.
Some workers were given awards by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in recognition of their diligence and hard work and they wore T-shirts, carried placards, some of which read, ‘Government pay proper attention to Free SHS’, ‘Lands Commission needs a new salary structure’ and ‘Workers need better conditions of service’.
PresidentAkufo-Addo urged workers to remain patient in the wake of the recent economic turbulence, as his government had the character to turn round the fortunes of the country in all areas of national life in spite of the damaging effect of the crisis, it managed to protect lives, livelihoods and jobs.
“Incomes, pensions, and investments are equally affected as a result of the multifaceted crisis, global pandemic was dire, the worst crisis the world had ever been confronted with in the past 15 years, hence the need for workers to bear with the government, as it showed total commitment to introducing innovative economic policies targeted at rescuing the economy.
“We will restore micro-economic stability to address the long-term structural challenges, to pave the way for sustainable economic growth and development since my government is a listening government and issues of labour agitations brought to my attention has always been resolved amicably.
FROM FRANCIS DABRE DABANG, BOLGATANGA
