President Akufo-Addo lauds trade unions for industrial harmony
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commended trade unions’ preference for social dialogue over strike actions.
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That, he said, promoted peace, social cohesion, mutual respect and trust.
Addressing the 12th quadrennial delegates congress of the Trades Union Congress, Ghana (TUC) at the Pentecost Convention Centre at Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region on Tuesday, President Akufo-Addo, therefore, stressed the need for stronger partnerships that enabled trade unions to exercise their power for the benefit of all.
He, however, asked that the unions take into account global events and their impact on the local economies in their advocacy for better conditions of service for their members.
The conference, which will also witness the election of new union leaders for the next four years, was on the theme: “Sustaining and leveraging the power of trade unions in a challenging economic environment.”
Role of TUC
President Akufo-Addo stated that trade unions had always played a central role in the socio-economic development of the nation by advocating the rights of workers, ensuring fair wages and helping to develop an environment where every Ghanaian could aspire to achieve their fullest potential.
Trades Union delegates congress at Kasoa
He also said the TUC had since its inception in 1945, been instrumental in advocating decent work practices, equitable wages and safe working conditions for all workers.
In that regard, he said, the congress had consistently influenced labour and national policies while facilitating dialogue among tripartite constituents on critical socio-economic issues.
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Moreover, the President said, the TUC had been a formidable organisation, persistently championing the interests of workers through frequent and meaningful engagements with the government.
Over the decades, President Akufo-Addo said the TUC had served as a voice for workers across various sectors of the economy, pointing out that “the role of organised labour, especially during our struggle for freedom and independence from the British colonial power, is written in letters of gold.”
Without question, he said, government would continue to rely on the rich history, experience and expertise of the TUC in the years to come.
He expressed appreciation to all workers across the spectrum, especially to the outgoing Secretary-General, Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, who he described as very critical but constructive.
Labour offices
The President said the government had enhanced the mobility of labour officers by procuring 80 motorbikes, four sports utility vehicles and 21 pick-up vehicles for their use.
“The establishment of the Ghanaian European Centre for Jobs, Migration and Development has further bolstered the provision of decent employment opportunities, particularly for young people seeking to migrate or return from abroad,” the President added.
President Akufo-Addo said the government had resolved a long-standing issue with public sector workers regarding the temporary pension fund account held at the Bank of Ghana, thereby transferring GH¢3.1 billion into the custodian accounts of the public sector occupational pension schemes.
Active contributors to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) scheme, he explained, had increased from 1.35 million in 2016 to two million as of April this year.
Touching on pensions, President Akufo-Addo said the government remained committed to expanding pension coverage, sustaining the pensions regime and enhancing the adequacy of pension payouts.
He commended the Minister responsible for Pensions, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, for his hard work, diligence and exemplary leadership in transforming the sector, saying “I take note in particular of the improved performance of SSNIT, which recently announced a surplus of GH¢230 million on its operations.”
That, he said, should be reassuring to organised labour and bring into sharper relief "the unnecessary controversy" that was recently generated by the efforts of SSNIT to offload non-performing assets in its hotel portfolio.
“It is my understanding that the transaction that was aborted represented the only occasion in recent history of SSNIT that external investors sought to invest in SSNIT holdings”.
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“All of us need to be measured when it comes to making decisions and pronouncements that would affect the long-term interests of pensioners,” President Akufo-Addo stated.