Ghana’s labour laws frown on pay cuts – Lawyer Ntow Fianko

Former Division One League Board Chairman, Lawyer Kwame Ntow Fianko has kicked against the call for Ghanaian clubs to slash the salaries of players to ease their financial burden amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

The debate on local players taking a pay cut has been up for discussions due to the suspension of the Ghana Premier League by the government in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

However, the veteran lawyer who has added his view to the conversation said the county’s labour laws frown on slashing of salaries so it can only come up for discussion when the parties involved agree to the proposal.

In an interview with Kumasi based Oyarepa FM, he said “The laws of Ghana frown on cutting the pay of the citizens. It can only be done with the consent of the players.”

“The labour laws enacted in 2003 Act 651 section 69(1) states that an employer shall not make any deduction by way of discount, interest or any similar change account of an advance of remuneration made to a worker in anticipation of the regular period of payment of remuneration."

He, therefore, advised people to preach the pay cut gospel to ‘the big men’ in society who have been taking bigger salaries.

“Why are managers of banks and other corporate institutions not also cutting their pays but people are calling on players who receive meagre salaries to accept a pay cut? They should start from the big men then we look at the players,” he added.