Ghanaian workers' productivity among lowest in the Africa - Prof. Adei

The input of Ghanaians towards productivity is one of the worst in Africa, this is according to a former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Prof. Stephen Adei bemoaned that ordinarily, Ghanaians are sluggish towards work and it is highly evident at all levels, especially in state institutions in the country but same cannot be said when a citizen from the West African country finds himself in another territory.

He argued that “we are one of the worst in the world” when it comes to productivity.

The professor who based his premise on a research he had conducted said the wave of the ‘Ghanaian mentality’ blows enormously around the public sector and until the attitude of civil servants is given some overhaul, the state will be continue to grow at its snail-pace.

“The Ghanaian worker is the most unproductive. The total factor productivity of the Ghanaian is among the lowest in Africa… In our economy we are ahead but in terms of productivity we are one of the lowest in the world,” he said.

“It is a matter of attitude because the Ghanaian in another jurisdiction produces very highly. We must change our attitude, attitude towards government work where you give your least for your maximum pay.”

Prof. Adei who was speaking after a presentation on the theme “Ghana Beyond Aid: How can we get there?” organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra, advocated for the salaries of public servants to be in conformity with the revenue they procure.

In his view, government will save more when this scheme is introduced as the productivity of workers will determine how much it dishes out to reward their efforts as against the statutory monthly expenditure which does not reflect in terms of earnings.

“Public sector wage increases should be linked directly to revenue mobilization because the public services are responsible for revenue. We cannot have a situation whereby at the end of the year they go and sit down and say that inflation was like this and therefore we want…,” Prof. Stephen Adei lamented.