By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Tema, Nov. 11, GNA – The AfriKan Continental Union Consult (ACUC) has called on the Government to prioritise workers’ purchasing power, pension security and decent employment opportunities in the 2027 Budget to ensure that economic gains translate into improved living standards.
The organisation said declining inflation and improved economic growth did not automatically result in better living conditions for workers and households, particularly when the cost of essential goods and services remained high.
Mr Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg, Leader of the ACUC, made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) while assessing the 2026 Budget and outlining expectations for the 2027 Budget.
He said the Government must focus on the real value of workers’ earnings rather than rely solely on increases in nominal wages and positive macroeconomic indicators.
Mr Aziginaateeg noted that compensation payments to public-sector workers reached GH¢48.8 billion by the end of June 2026, including pension contributions.
He said, however, that a comprehensive assessment of workers’ welfare should consider their ability to afford essential needs such as food, accommodation, transportation and healthcare.
He questioned whether wages were keeping pace with the rising cost of living, whether minimum-wage earners were able to meet their basic needs and whether pensioners were receiving adequate benefits.
Mr Aziginaateeg also expressed concern about the protection of private-sector workers and the availability of decent and secure jobs.
He recommended that the 2027 Budget introduce a sustainable wage improvement framework to safeguard workers’ purchasing power and strengthen the role of the National Tripartite Committee in wage negotiations.
The ACUC further called for expanded employment opportunities for young people, improved technical and vocational education linked to industry, stronger labour protections and enhanced occupational health and safety standards.
On pensions, Mr Aziginaateeg urged the Government to improve pension administration and implement measures to better protect the welfare of pensioners.
He said small businesses and enterprises that generated decent employment opportunities should also receive support to strengthen the productive capacity of the economy.
Mr Aziginaateeg called for workers to be recognised as strategic partners in national development rather than merely recipients of salaries, stressing that their productivity and welfare were central to economic transformation.
He said the 2027 Budget should move beyond macroeconomic recovery and deliver tangible improvements in incomes, employment conditions and social protection.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Email: [email protected]