President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured that his government is working tirelessly to deal with the current economic mess.

Addressing workers during this year’s May Day celebration in Bolgatanga, the President said his government is assiduously engaging the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure board approval for Ghana’s $3 billion bailout request, to bring relief to Ghanaians.

“We continue to work tirelessly to complete all prior actions required to present Ghana’s request to the IMF’s integrity board for approval. We have also made substantial progress on the debt exchange programme, as well as our engagements with bilateral creditors to secure the financing required for the IMF programme.”
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

The government is seeking $3 billion in support from the IMF to address the country’s economic challenges.

President Akufo-Addo also assured that his government will thrive to find lasting peace to the protracted Bawku ethnic conflict, before the end of his tenure. According to him, finding lasting peace in the Bawku conflict remains his highest priority as president.

Meanwhile, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has suggested to the government to convert the National Cathedral project into a national hospital.

Addressing the 2023 May Day parade in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, the Secretary-General of the TUC, Dr Anthony Yaw Baah claimed converting the project into a hospital, will serve Ghanaians better than a Cathedral.

“The president has always said he wants to create another Notre Dame in Ghana, so we can attract a lot of visitors, but we disagree. In fact, comrades, it will be better to convert the project into a national hospital,” Dr Yaw Baah said adding “Mr. President you can also reduce the size of your government. Ghana has too many ministers and deputy ministers.”

Government Commitment To Protecting The Jobs And Incomes Of Workers

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assured workers of protecting their jobs and incomes. He claimed not only to have demonstrated that over the course of the year but also proceeded to improve on the existing incomes of workers and pensioners alike.

“Organised Labour appealed to Government for the payment of Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA) for public sector workers to cushion them against the difficult economic conditions. In response, Government and Organised Labour reached an agreement for the payment of fifteen percent (15%) COLA to public sector workers. As a sign of goodwill for workers in the private sector, the National Tripartite Committee agreed to the payment of fifteen percent (15%) Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA) for them, in addition to the ten percent (10%) upward adjustment of the 2023 National Daily Minimum Wage.
“In spite of the difficult challenges Government and employers face, this was made possible through consensus building, to ensure businesses attain high levels of employment to hasten economic recovery. This is no mean feat, as it is the first time in the history of the determination of the National Daily Minimum Wage that the parties agreed to the payment of COLA, after wage adjustment for the year has already been agreed upon. This is an indication of our collective resolve to protect workers and their standards of living.”
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Akufo-Addo claimed that this year begun with Government and Organised Labour concluding negotiations on the 2023 Base Pay and Pay Point Relativity for Public Sector Workers, in January 2023. He said that this led to an increment by thirty percent (30%) over the 2022 figure, effective 1st January 2023.

He also assured that this increment will help mitigate the difficulties workers are facing, largely arising from the effects of global inflation.