Accra, May 1, GNA – The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union, Ghana (ICU) has called on the government to diversify its strategies to create sustainable jobs in other sectors of the economy.
That initiative, the union stated, would improve the livelihoods of the working class and their families, as macroeconomic stability alone did not guarantee sustainable livelihoods.
Mr Morgan Ayawine, the General Secretary, ICU, said this in a statement to mark this year’s May Day celebration.
The Day is celebrated to show solidarity and demand recognition and commensurate reward for labour to improve the standard of living.
Mr Ayawine said in spite of the country’s economic challenges, the Union had pledged to continue to sacrifice and work harder to improve on the government’s development agenda.
“At the same time, we expect the government and relevant stakeholders to ensure that, at the stage of resetting the nation, systems must function efficiently and effectively to move the economy forward,” he said.
In its relentless determination to rebuild Ghana and ensure sustainable economic growth and national development, Mr Ayawine said: “We have laboured and continue to labour tirelessly through our blood and sweat to attain the noble objective of economic self-sufficiency for Ghana, both now and for posterity.
“However, this dream seems perpetually elusive, as the harder we labour and sacrifice, the more distant the realisation of our economic goals and prosperity appears,” he said.
He called for urgent attention to the country’s economic systems by diagnosing the causes despite the nation’s rich endowment of human capital, intellectual capacity, and natural resources.
Even though the government had achieved some level of success in the macroeconomic areas, Mr Ayawine said the country must strategise to ensure that such improvements translated into a better standard of living.
That, he stated, was necessary because many workers were still grappling with high cost of living, including rent, water, electricity, transport, and basic food items.
“As committed social partners, we will continue to play our part in supporting the government’s efforts, as we have always done. However, the government must deliver on its mandate and bring sustainable relief to workers and Ghanaians in general,” he said.
Mr Ayawine urged employers who remained indifferent to the sufferings of workers and took undue advantage of the situation by engaging in unfair labour practices to desist from such practices and ensure fairness and equity.
“I encourage all workers not to despair, but to remain courageous and resilient despite the current economic difficulties. There is always a silver lining at the end of every tunnel; stay strong and press on,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe