Accra,- The Forum for Public Sector Associations and Unions has dissociated itself from the joint roadmap adopted by the Government, Organised Labour, and Employers to resolve labour issues at the recent Labour Conference at Kwahu in the Eastern Region.
The Forum said it was not consulted to make input into the communiqué, also known as the “Kwahu Declaration”, released at the end of the two-day Conference held from February 28 to March 1, 2022.
The 31-point communiqué was jointly signed by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, representing Government, Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, representing Organised Labour and Mr Daniel Acheampong, representing Employers.
A statement signed by Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo, the Chairman of the Forum, said it was not aware of the content of the communiqué prior to its publication thus could not be part of its implementation.
It said the Forum was only informed about the communiqué when it met with the Minister of Finance to deliberate on measures taken by the Government to strengthen the economy on March 25, 2022, and that the content came as a surprise to its entire membership.
“The Forum, therefore, disassociates itself from the Kwahu Declaration of the 2022 National Labour Conference,” the statement said.
The Forum was registered and certified under section 84 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) on September 3, 2020.
It is made up of nine-member associations, including the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, the Ghana Medical Association, Government Hospital Pharmacists’ Association, Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anesthetists, and the Ghana National Association of Teachers.
The rest are: the National Association of Graduate Teachers, the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana, the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana, and the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana.
More than 100 delegates participated in the Kwahu Labour Conference held on the theme: “Strengthening Tripartism for Peaceful Labour Relations and Resilient Economy.”
Organised by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, with its Tripartite Constituents, it was aimed at building consensus and adopting a blueprint that will inform and shape the Government’s approach to the resolution of labour issues.
The delegates called for a review of the Single Spine Salary Structure and asked the Government to set up a technical committee by the end of March to facilitate the process.
“Organised Labour and Employers should work with Government for the maintenance of macroeconomic stability and building and sustenance of a resilient economy for the achievement of national development objectives,” the communique emphasised.
The Tripartite Constituents should work together, at all times, through social dialogue towards peaceful industrial relations as a prerequisite for the maintenance of macro-economic stability, it stated.
The delegates also urged the Government to take immediate steps to eliminate waste in public expenditure.
These include completing existing projects, enforcing sanctions in the Public Financial Management Act, and plugging loopholes in subsidies, particularly, on energy and water.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who opened the conference, assented to request to make the Kwahu Labour Conference an annual event.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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