Akuffo Addo’s Needless Conference Can’t Solve Labour Agitation – NAGRAT
National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and other Concerned teachers Association have taken a serious swipe at the Akuffo Addo’s led New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their incompetent ways of handling labour issues in the country.
“I woke up this morning at 6: am March 1st 2022 and my phone was bombaded with messages of teachers asking why the salaries are delayed”, he recounted.
At a press conference held in Accra today to respond to their boycott of the ongoing Labour conference in the Kwahu Municipality of the Eastern Region, the NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu stated that it was totally out of order to tea conference with government when Ghanaian workers are experiencing the worst economic management ever.
“Infact , the 4% and the 7% salary adjustment for 2021 and 2022 respectively have been a drop in the pan in light of the current economic realities “, he punches.
Mr. Carbonu pointed out that despite the promises made to them by the finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta last year, the government turns to worsen the situation of the Ghanaian workers.
The National Association of Graduate Teachers, NAGRAT, says its decision not to attend the National Labour Conference is based on its conviction that the meeting was not meant to salvage the hardships facing the ordinary government employee.
President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu says, although the group was invited, it did not honour it over concerns it will yield no positive results.
“We were invited, but NAGRAT and other unions decided to boycott. This is because we think the conference is not a true reflection of the problems that confront us and looking at the nature of these challenges that have to do with skyrocketing prices, dwindling values of our real incomes, difficult economic situations that have bedevilled us as workers, unstable pensions, we do not think this is the time to be holding press conferences”.
“But rather a time for labour leaders and government to sit down and find practical solutions that are addressing the work situations in relation to price hikes, simply increasing workers’ emoluments and salaries and payment of it timeously, so I don’t think we must be engaged in a meeting for romantic talks, but the time has come for us to face the issues and address them to the wherewithal of the Ghanaian worker”, he added.
The government on Monday, February 28, 2022, opened a two-day National Labour Conference under the auspices of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and its Tripartite Constituents.
The event is being organized at Kwahu-Nkwatia in the Eastern Region under the theme, “Strengthening Tripartism for Peaceful Labour Relations and Resilient Economy”, to shape conversations on the labour front.
Issues that are dominating the discussions include the state of the economy, conditions of service of public sector workers, public sector salaries, labour productivity, labour dispute prevention and resolution, and sustainable pensions for all.
Source: thealhajj.com