Morgan Ayawine
The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU) has urge the government to take quick and needful measures to reverse the economic conundrum currently plaguing the country and bring the requisite economic relief to Ghanaians.
In its Christmas message to workers signed by ICU General Secretary, Morgan Ayawine, the union said year 2023 has been fraught with dire economic vagaries ranging from hyper-inflation (especially staple food inflation) to high lending rate engendering economic downturn in the country, thus adversely affecting the real income of workers and drastically reducing workers’ purchasing power.
“Admittedly, the economic downtown and its negative ramifications on businesses has caused attrition in sustainable employment, and hampered new job creation thus exacerbating the already precarious unemployment situation and increasing the dependency rate, and poverty levels in the country,” Mr. Ayawine said.
The union nonetheless commended the government for taking steps to bailout certain distressed State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), especially the National Investment Bank upon appeal by the Union (ICU-Ghana). “For this, we say, we are very grateful to the government,” he said.
Mr. Ayawine expressed its appreciation to its partners showing gratitude to the good employers for their understanding, and effective collaboration with the union for sustainable employment which brought about increased productivity and business profitability for economic progress.
“To the other employers who are bent on pushing their agenda of outsourcing and casualisation of jobs to destroy sustainable employment, and amass abnormal profits thus jeopardising the future financial security of workers, they are cautioned to mend their ways, and conform to the labour laws of Ghana,” he said.
The Union celebrated its gallant workers who are the pivot of the growth and development of the national economy.
“I urge all of you to press on, and work harder in your efforts despite the current vicissitudes of the economy until we win the war over factors militating against full recovery of businesses, and economic prosperity of the Ghanaian workforce,” he said.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri