President Akufo receiving a citation from the TUC leadership
President Akufo-Addo has appealed to the leadership and membership of the Trades Union Congress and Organised Labour to assist government in the country’s post COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.
Speaking at the 11th Quadrennial Congress of the Trades Union Congress, yesterday, the President acknowledged that at the height of the pandemic, government instituted several measures and interventions to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on lives and livelihoods.
“These measures sustained the economy, restored some lost jobs and incomes, whilst opening windows of new opportunities for others. The time has now come for us to take the next set of actions required for the sustained recovery of the economy,” he said.
These sets of action, he explained, had been outlined in the 2021 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.
“The truth of the matter is that we are not in normal times, and I appeal to all Ghanaians, including organised labour, to assist government in this endeavour to help rebuild our public finances and economy. We need to mobilise additional resources to cater for the new challenges confronting us whilst meeting other statutory requirements,” the President said.
He continued, “I, therefore, urge all Ghanaian workers to bear with government in these unusual and rather challenging times. I am confident that sooner, rather than later, and together, we can create the happy, progressive and prosperous nation we all desire.”
Whilst appreciating the concerns expressed by a section of Ghanaians, especially, with regards to imposition of some new taxes, President Akufo-Addo reiterated that “salary increments for public sector workers have not been frozen for the next four years.”
“COVID-19 resulted in a drastic slowdown in economic activity and a huge drop in domestic revenues, combined with a sharp and unplanned hike in COVID-19 related expenditures. In sum, this unprecedented crisis led to a sudden shortfall in government revenues amounting to some GH¢13.6 billion, and an unexpected and unavoidable rise in expenditures of some GH¢11.7 billion, he said.
The 2021 budget, the President explained, had set the goal of reducing the budget deficit gradually from 11.7% in 2020 to less than 5.0% by 2024, whilst growing the economy and creating jobs.
The President reiterated the government’s resolve towards the implementation of GH¢100 billion Ghana CARES ‘Obaatampa’ Programme.
Touching on the matter of lump sum benefits to 2020 pensioners, the President assured Organised Labour that SSNIT and the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) were working with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations on the imminent resolution of the outstanding issues.
On the issue of the National Unemployment Insurance Scheme that was announced last year, President Akufo-Addo said a committee made up of the members of the Social Partnership Council had been setup by the Ministry of Finance to look at the establishment of the scheme, saying, “The Ministry of Finance has already earmarked some GH¢50 million towards its operationalisation once discussions are completed.”