My government will support labour institutions, protect workers - Bawumia

Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 assured the Trades Union Congress (TUC) that his presidency would strengthen the National Labour Commission by ensuring that it has offices established nationwide.

This will enable the Commission to operate effectively and on a full-time basis.

Dr Bawumia said this when he met with the membership of the TUC in Accra.

He said if by the end of this year, the new Labour Act was not reviewed, he would make sure it was reviewed and passed under his administration to protect workers.

The Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) regulates employment and labour issues in Ghana.

The Act consolidates all laws relating to labour, employers, trade unions and industrial relations.

The National Labour Commission (NLC) administers the laws related to labour and employment.

Dr Bawumia reiterated his plans to implement a flat tax rate in 2025 after granting tax amnesty to every individual.

On stabilising the Cedi from further depreciation, he said the Bank of Ghana (BoG), with adequate gold reserves, would provide the stability with the currency required to prevent frequent depreciation.

To that end, Dr Bawumia said, his government would make sure all gold concessions were owned by Ghanaians and gold processed in the country sold to the Central Bank to shore up the country’s reserves.

His government would resource the Geological Survey Authority and technical universities to undertake exploration of the seven gold belts in the country to ensure that the gold concessions produced positive outcomes.

He repeated his plans to establish a Minerals Development Bank to support small-scale miners to source funding for their businesses, noting that the sector could generate three billion dollars annually.

On improving fiscal discipline, the NPP Flagbearer gave the assurance that his administration would make sure the Fiscal Responsibility Council operated independently with oversight over the Ministry of Finance.

He promised to downsize his government’s expenditure by three per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which amounted to about GHc30 billion every year.

Dr Bawumia reaffirmed his commitment not to appoint more than 50 Ministers under his administration.

On constitutional matters, the NPP Flagbearer pledged to review Article 87 of the 1992 Constitution and National Development Planning Commission Act, (Act 479) to align with the development aspirations of the nation.

Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, the General Secretary of TUC, in his welcome remarks, said it had received four presidential candidates since November 2023, and believed they had good plans for the nation, saying, ideas, systems, and institutions were ingredients for transforming a country.

He jokingly said if possible, the two major political parties, the NDC and NPP should form an alliance and implement a “24-hour Economy with Digitisation”, throwing the gathering into spontaneous laughter.

Dr Baah presented ten copies of the TUC’s Manifesto to the NPP Flagbearer, which highlighted six key thematic areas – Social and Human Development, Economic Policy, Labour Market Policy, Energy & Power, Governance Policy and Climate Change & Environmental Policy.

Accompanying the NPP flagbearer were Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu, the Chairman of the NPP Manifesto Committee, Mr Joseph Cudjoe, Minister of Public Enterprises and Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations.