President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wants cool heads to prevail on the labour front, following recent industrial actions by labour unions.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Board of the National Labour Commission at the Jubilee House, Nana Akufo-Addo said there must be a fair balance between what labour is demanding and what government can provide.
“I believe the promotion of industrial peace and harmony is a function of two things that will establish a balance between the legitimate demands of labour and the capacities of the employer. Striking a fair and equitable balance between the demand and supply becomes the most effective way of promoting industrial peace in our country.”
In a similar development, the President has appealed to the striking teachers to resume work pending the outcome of the negotiations with the government.
According to him, the teaching should resume in order not to affect the education of the children as the government also works assiduously to resolve the economic challenges facing the country.
In his Edul-Adha message on Saturday July 9, Mr Akufo-Addo said “I am aware that some teacher unions have declared strike in pursuit of a twenty per cent Cost of Living Allowance. I am happy that yesterday, the teachers were joined by other members of the organised labour under the Trades Union Congress to sit down with government led by the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and the Minister for Education to begin negotiations on this matter.
“I want to add my voice to the appeal by the outstanding Minister for Employment and Labour Relations Hon Ignatius Baffur Awauh , Member of Parliament for Sunyani West for the teachers to return to the classrooms, pending the outcome of the negotiations so that the education of our children, some of whom are preparing to sit their final exams, is not affected.
“We are in a difficult place, the world is in a difficult place. Leaders around the world, like we are doing here in Ghana, are working assiduously to resolve the fundamental challenges that have plunged the world into the current economic conditions in which it finds itself. But, just as the efforts of Hagga resulted in the discovery of Zamzam well, from which we drink these day, I am confident that soon, we shall discoverer our own Zamzam well.”
Four teacher groups have declared a nationwide strike over the government’s inability to meet the deadline for their demands for the payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
This follows the expiration of a June 30 deadline the unions gave the government.
The unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT).
Various groups including the Union of Professional Nurse and Midwives have also joined calls by some public sector workers for the government to pay them the 20% COLA.