Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, has implored labour unions to negotiate with government in good faith as it works things out with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.

According to him, government would have met its demands if it had the means to. He indicated that the ensuing strike actions by teachers would have been averted under different circumstances.

“This idea of I’m going to go on strike, I’m going to do this; if government has all the means they will give it to you. This government has shown very good faith to everybody that if they have the means they will do it. They’ve never disrespected workers, they’ve never shouted on workers, they’ve negotiated with workers in good faith. I plead with them that they should give government the opportunity to negotiate with them in good faith.”
Dominic Nitiwul

Describing the situation as worrying, Mr Nitiwul revealed that whatever is done currently with respect to the strike will be detrimental to the students. As such, it is imperative to ensure that Ghana remains a safe place for all to be in.

“We’ve managed ourselves very well up till now and we’ll continue to do whatever we have to do to keep this country very safe, extremely very safe… Can you imagine you’re leading an IMF team and workers are asking for between 6 to 8 billion extra income or extra expenditure on the budget? It makes your work very very difficult. I just plead that yes, things are difficult, we all accept…”
Dominic Nitiwul

Public sector workers must lower expectations

Meanwhile, the Defence Minister has advised that all government ministries and agencies cut down any non-essential expenditure. He highlighted that it is particularly important now that the country is seeking support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Mr Nitiwul expressed that the austerity measures being introduced to reduce government expenditure has also impacted the Defence Ministry and other security agencies.

“All sectors including that of the security must know that they must lower their expectations a little bit. Programmes that can be postponed, you have to; programmes that you believe that you can do your work without, you have to. All ministers must be on their feet. For example, you have to make sure that wasteful expenditure is cut off and everything is being done. But there are some of the expenditures that we have to do to ensure that we save our country…”
Dominic Nitiwul

He noted that smaller projects such as maintenance works on the ministry building, internet data among others have had to be either postponed for a favourable time or reduced.

“You have to cut down on a lot of those kind of things that’s why I am trying to say that non-essential things we all have to cut down including the security agencies [and] the security ministries. Things are not very normal.”
Dominic Nitiwul

Nonetheless, Mr Nitiwul indicated that the current situation the country is going through is a phase. He emphasized that things will get better “again in two years” as it has happened in the past.