Organized labor has been told by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that the government is committed to safeguarding employee wages and pensions.
"Last year, at the Independence Square festivities, I gave you my word that the government will endeavor to safeguard workers' pensions, wages, and employment."
In addition to demonstrating it throughout the year, he continued, "the government actually went on to improve upon the existing incomes of workers and pensioners."
At yesterday's May Day celebration in Bolgatanga, the regional capital of the Upper East, President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance.
The inaugural event in the area's subject was "Protecting Incomes and Pensions in an Era of Economic Crisis: Our Responsibility."
COLA
The President remembered how, following a fruitful engagement with organized labor, the government paid employees the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to protect them from the country's ongoing economic hardships.
"The National Tripartite Committee decided to pay the 15% COLA as well as the 10% increase in the daily minimum wage for 2023 as a gesture of goodwill for the workforce," he said.
The President stated that "this was no mean achievement" because it was the first time the national daily minimum wage had been determined after the pay adjustment for the year had already been decided.
Additionally, according to President Akufo-Addo, the joint standing negotiation committee for public services has reached an understanding with the single spine salary structure's (SSSS) basic pay, which received a 30% raise, the largest since the SSSS was introduced in 2010.
"This will help mitigate the poor conditions faced by workers, largely arising from the effects of global inflation," he stated.
The President said that "all these measures demonstrate that the government is a listening one that is aimed at improving the lot of workers and their dependents" and noted that pensions have grown by almost 25% as of January 1 of this year.
The president of the tripartite committee, Akufo-Addo, encouraged organized labor to keep working with the other parties to quickly wrap up discussions on the pay of public sector employees, including the minimum wage for the fiscal year 2024.
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