Current Economic Condition Require Commitment-President Mills

President John Atta Mills has said that the current economic condition of the country requires that workers display high level of commitment.

He has, therefore, urged them to appreciate the current predicament in the midst of the global financial crunch but expressed optimism that the future will be bright despite such difficulties.

The President said this in a speech read for him by Mr Stephen Amoanor Kwao, Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, at the 50th Anniversary Celebration and the inauguration of the second phase of a hostel project for the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region last Monday.

The project, made up of 27 self-contained rooms estimated at two million Ghanaian cedis, include a 500 seating capacity auditorium, a mini-supermarket, a unisex salon and offices.

The theme for the occasion was "PSWU 50 years in the Service of Workers-The Way Forward".

President Atta Mills said, his government is committed to the agreed road map for implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure and is of the view that all stakeholders involved will work hard towards the successful implementation to improve salaries of workers.

On the New Pension Scheme for workers under the National Pension Act 766 of 2008, he said negotiations are also far advanced towards the implementation of the scheme to benefit workers.

He appealed to the union to deepen the existing dialogue and co-operate with other social partners to maintain a peaceful industrial atmosphere for accelerated national development.

Mr Kofi Asamoah, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said the on-going Public Sector Reform is intended to address the challenges of low pay and the inequities inherent in the public sector pay.

He urged the government to keep to the implementation schedules and the guiding principles and the road map it has agreed with unions and other stakeholders.

Mr Asamoah expressed concern about the recent increase of 30 per cent in fuel prices as compared to 18 per cent increase in wages and called on the government to increase the incomes of workers to enable them cope with the increasing higher cost of living.

Mr A T D Okine, General Secretary of the PSWU, expressed gratitude and appreciation to the pioneering patriots, both living and dead for their good judgment and selflessness towards the formation of the union.

He said there has been significant improvement in the conditions of workers of the various branches of the union and this has been made possible through the union's proactiveness and negotiations with government and management.

Source: GNA