Editorial by Ghanaian Times: Can workers really impact Ghana’s electoral, governance systems?

In Accra and the country’s other cities yesterday, workers’ parades were organized to show Ghana’s participation in May Day celebrations across the globe.

Congratulations to all Ghanaian workers in both the public and private sectors!

The importance of organised labour in every economy must be hailed because it takes labour to build a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the annual total of the monetary or market value of all the goods and services produced in a country.

The GDP, which can also be measured on a quarterly basis, functions as a comprehensive scorecard of a given country’s economic health.

It makes it clear that the workers’ output is the basis of every country’s development.

It, therefore, makes economic sense that workers are treated well by the government for them to put in their best performance to help build the nation.

If this happens, then the gov­ernment can demand account­ability from workers.

Every year, the government has something to say to workers, either as a reminder of what it has done for them or what it expects from them.

For instance, at the national May Day parade held in Bolgatanga last year, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo spoke about the achievements of his administration as far as workers were concerned.

He mentioned, for instance, that year’s 30 percent increment over the 2022 base pay for public sector workers.

Then, he gave the assurance that his government would protect incomes and pensions in challenging times and mentioned the resolve of his administration to fix the challenges to bring some relief to Ghanaians.

It is up to the workers themselves to state if they are fulfilling that promise.

At yesterday’s workers’ parade in Accra, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo called on organised labour to work toward ensuring that the country’s record as a beacon of democracy and peace is protected before, during, and after the December general election.

He said, “Ghana’s track record as a bastion of democracy and peace is an enviable one that needs protection.”

His call comes in view of the local theme for this year’s celebration, “Election 2024: the Role of Workers and Social Partners in Securing Peaceful Elections for National Development.”

The President notes that workers form the backbone of the country and that they have special roles to play in shaping the outcome of elections, adding that “your voices matter and your participation in the electoral process is essential to ensuring that the concerns and aspirations of working people are adequately represented in our governance structure.”

We think the President has spoken well, and we wish workers’ voices, for instance, would make an impact in the electoral process and governance space, yet we wonder how effective that could be, considering how certain unseen hands pull strings here and there in those areas.

Besides, there are institutions, particularly the Electoral Commission, given the mandate as to what to do so far as the conduct of elections and governance in the country are concerned, not forgetting how politicians are fond of showing power.

Probably organised labour can raise issues and even go on demonstrations over certain electoral and governance concerns, but can they achieve their targets, especially if things go against the government?