GCPP leader berates striking workers

Leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Dr. Henry Herbert Lartey has advised striking labour unions to think about Ghanaians first in this critical moment of the country because their action was hurting the citizens more and not government officials.

Dr. Lartey said although the workers are fighting a legitimate cause, their actions were affecting the economy more and the ordinary citizens in particular, and could also derail attempts being made to reverse dwindling fortunes of the economy.

Speaking in a telephone interview with the DAILY HERITAGE, the former GCPP flagbearer said no matter how long it took, government would definitely pay them, hence, the best solution was a dialogue between the parties.

Currently, about 12 labour unions are on strike to demand the payment of their tier-two pension contributions into privately managed accounts.

The unions declared an indefinite strike on October 22 to protest government’s failure to pay public sector workers their second-tier pension funds into private accounts.

Monies from workers’ monthly deductions are said to be at the Bank of Ghana for the past four years without being invested in any profitable venture.

Some of the unions on strike are the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Public and Health Service Workers Union and the Ghana Registered Nurses Association.

The rest are the Government Hospital Pharmacists Association, Ghana Medical Association and the Civil and Local Government Staff Association.

The government has described the strike as illegal and appealed to the unions to come to the negotiation table for an amicable settlement.

But, Dr. Lartey insists it was not time for blame game but rather the workers should put Ghana first noting that “the system is not working. They (striking workers) should think about the future of young pupils and students as well as patients at the various hospitals.”

According to him, he thinks about how to better Ghana first before thinking about personal gains and thus advised the workers to think about Ghana and the citizens first before their personal gains.

“It is better to jaw-jaw on controversial issues because labour force is supposed to help government to run the country,” he said, adding that the action of the workers may not argue well for government’s negotiation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Government has held discussions with the IMF for a programme for the next three years to help save the economy and restore investor confidence.

The IMF is expected back in the country in November for the third round of talks with government to find an appropriate programme to rescue Ghana’s economy.

Meanwhile, a former Chief Executive Officer of the National Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Dr. Daniel Sedor, has said government should not be blamed for the strike. He said, “I don’t see the role of government in this because we are talking about tier two and tier two means money going to a particular scheme.”

He explained that there are laid down procedures for the payment of the tier two pensions adding that if all the processes are observed “and the agitating workers can establish that the payment has been made then the appropriate quarters to go is the NPRA,” and not the government.