Accra: Ms Britta Lejon, President of Public Service International (PSI), has raised concerns that austerity measures and exploitation by governments are significantly hindering the effectiveness of public services across the African continent. Speaking at the 14th African Regional Conference of PSI in Accra, themed 'Quality Public Services for Dignity,' Ms Lejon highlighted the repercussions of drastic budget cuts and wage bill caps on public sector workers, which in turn affect citizens' access to essential services.
According to Ghana News Agency, the conference emphasized the crucial role of public sector workers, ranging from healthcare providers to sanitation workers, in maintaining the social contract between the state and its citizens. The challenges facing Africa's public service sector are manifold. For instance, an ActionAid report revealed that 84 percent of teachers across six African countries have experienced a real income drop of 10 to 50 percent since 2020. Additionally, 97 percent of health workers in these nations reported that their wages were insufficient to meet basic needs like rent and food.
Austerity measures often prioritize debt repayment over funding essential public services, resulting in reduced incomes for public service workers. Ms Lejon pointed out a devastating wave of privatization, driven by austerity policies and influenced by international financial institutions and corporate interests. She criticized the financial frameworks that many governments are trapped in, which freeze wages, halt recruitment, and encourage privatization.
emic issues such as corruption, tax evasion, and persistent debt further undermine the region's ability to harness its natural resources and invest in essential services. Ms Lejon argued that treating public services as commodities strips citizens of their dignity, turning basic needs like healthcare and clean water into privileges rather than rights.
She also underscored the financial strain on workers due to non-payment of wages, delayed salaries, and labor casualization, which violates core ILO Conventions. Moreover, the PSI President highlighted the exacerbating threat of the climate crisis, noting severe water and heat stress in the region, with many African countries warming at twice the global average rate.
Ms Lejon stressed the necessity of a just energy transition, contingent on robust public services, and called for the world's wealthy nations, responsible for the majority of global emissions, to ensure that the most vulnerable populations do not bear the heaviest burdens. The President concluded by championing the trade union movement as a vital force in advocating for fiscal space to invest in welfare, climate adaptation, and secure jobs, thereby prioritizing people over profit.