A fairer deal for the Ghanaian worker

President John Dramani Mahama’s 2026 May Day address in Koforidua was more than ceremonial pageantry.

It was a policy-laden assurance to Ghanaian workers that the years of wage distortions, pension anxieties, and labour uncertainties may finally be heading for a reset.

At the heart of his message was the proposed Independent Emoluments Commission — a body he insists will correct the long-standing inequities in public sector remuneration.

For too long, Article 71 has stood as a symbol of a two-tier system: generous packages for a few at the top, and constrained salaries for the many who keep the wheels of the state turning. 

The President’s pledge to use the constitutional review process to dismantle this distortion is welcome, but it must be matched with urgency and political will.

The Fair Wages and Salary Commission has started the groundwork, yet workers will judge this promise not by communiqués, but by payslips.

The commission’s mandate, as outlined, is to build a transparent salary structure aligned with market realities.

If executed well, it could reduce the perennial cycle of strikes that disrupt productivity and erode public trust. Fairness in pay is not a favour to workers; it is the foundation of a motivated public service.

From the President to the lowest-paid cleaner, every Ghanaian who serves the state deserves a living wage that reflects the true cost of living.

Anything less undermines morale and fuels the brain drain we can ill afford.

Equally significant was the President’s commitment to pension reform.

Sixteen years after the three-tier system was introduced, too many retirees still face old age with dread, not dignity.

A comprehensive review, followed by genuine consultation with Organised Labour, is overdue. 

Pensions must not be a lottery where the worker contributes for decades only to retire into poverty.

The test of a nation’s conscience is how it treats those who have spent their strength building it.

President Mahama’s address also situated labour within the broader economic recovery. He reminded workers that his administration first had to “stop the bleeding” — stabilise the cedi, rein in inflation, reduce interest rates, and restore fiscal discipline.

Those gains, though modest, are real. But as he rightly noted, macroeconomic stability is the foundation, not the house. 

The reset must now move from figures on a dashboard to food on the table. The pledge to invest one per cent of GDP annually in high-yield, job-creating sectors is ambitious. Its success will depend on execution, not announcements.

The 24-hour economy policy, recently approved by Parliament, deserves particular attention. Incentivising multiple shifts through tax breaks and reduced power costs could unlock productivity in manufacturing and services.

But policy alone will not run factories at night. Security, transport, childcare, and reliable power must follow. Otherwise, the policy risks becoming a slogan rather than a shift pattern.

Crucially, the President acknowledged the changing nature of work.

The forthcoming labour bill promises to cover remote work, the gig economy, and digital platforms.

This is vital. A delivery rider, an online freelancer, or a call-centre agent working from home is no less a worker than one in a traditional office.

Rights, contracts, pensions and dignity must be non-negotiable across the board.

The law must catch up with how Ghanaians actually earn a living in 2026.

The revival of state-owned enterprises was another key plank.

Tema Oil Refinery’s return to operation, the recapitalisation of ADB and NIB, and improvements at Tema Shipyard signal intent to make SOEs productive again.

Yet the President’s admonition to Organised Labour was pointed: do not be spectators when boards and management run enterprises into the ground.

Workers suffer first when SOEs collapse.

Active union vigilance, backed by transparency from management, must become the new normal.

Finally, the tribute to engineers of GRIDCo and VRA who restored the Akosombo Hydro Plant after the fire incident was a reminder that Ghana’s most valuable asset remains its people.

Their skill, sacrifice and patriotism kept the lights on.

That spirit must be honoured not just with applause, but with decent conditions of service. In all, the May Day message was one of hope anchored in reform.

But Ghanaian workers have heard bold promises before.

The difference this time must be delivery.

The Independent Emoluments Commission must be truly independent.

Pension reviews must lead to better outcomes.

The 24-hour economy must create real jobs, not just headlines.

The theme for this year’s celebration — “Pivoting to growth, jobs and sustainable livelihoods beyond macroeconomic stability” — captures the national mood.

Stability has been clawed back.

Now Ghanaians must feel it in their pockets.

A fairer deal for the worker is a fairer deal for Ghana.

The reset has begun on paper.

It must now begin in practice