Former Deputy Minister of Employment, Antwi Boasiako-Sekyere
Former Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour relations, Antwi Boasiako-Sekyere says the government will cause public sector workers untold difficulties by refusing to increase their wages until 2024.
On his accord, the government’s decision to increase taxes will inadvertently lead to an increase in the standard of living which will ‘kill’ the Ghanaian worker.
“If you are a worker and you hear this news, you will have sleepless nights. The prices of goods and services have increased and if that happens, the salary of these workers will lose its value. If workers have to wait till 2024 for salary increment, they will suffer massively and have sleepless nights. And I believe they (workers) will fight this decision by the finance ministry”.
He argues, “If the taxes are being increased, wages should also be increased for a positive correlation”.
The politician noted that within the social partnership contract, the government needs to make sure the interests of all citizens are catered for.
“If the prices of goods are increased and you refuse to increase the wages of staff, then just like former President Kufuor said if you pretend to pay the workers, they will also pretend to work”, he reiterated.
On his authority, it is sad the government refused to meet Trades Union Congress to discuss issues on wage increment before presenting the 2021 budget to parliament.
The Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Samuel Nii Noi Ashong indicated that government does not have enough money in its coffers to undertake wage increment in the public sector.
“If you look at the Budget, Covid-19 is not expected to abate until the end of 2023 and we’re all looking to be tightening our belts for a while and people should not be expecting huge wage increases in the course of the next few years. This is because we don’t have money to pay for it,” he said.
