Increasing salaries won’t solve any problem – NPP’s Kwadwo Poku to workers

The current economic situation will not allow the government to increase allowances as being demanded by various labour unions, Energy expert Kwadwo Poku has said.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful who was speaking on Asempa Yetia on Power FM, advised the agitating public workers to be honest with themselves and call for inflation to be tackled rather than demanding extra allowances.

His comment comes after a series of labour agitations following hardship fuelled by high prices of petroleum products and transport fares.

Inflation is almost 30% as Ghanaians express concern over the high prices of commodities in the country.

Four teacher unions are on strike over the cost of living allowance (COLA) as other public sector workers warn of impending strikes over similar concerns.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), and Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) went on strike on July 5, 2022.

On July 12, a meeting between stakeholders and the government ended inconclusively for the second time as NAGRAT, GNAT walked out of the forum.

As the government heads to IMF, Kwadwo Poku believes it is the wrong time for the workers to pile pressure on the government.

“The main target of the government is to control inflation. The agitation won’t solve any problem. If we don’t want the country to grind at a halt, they should not be demanding those allowances,” he argued.

But a Financial Analyst and member of the NDC, Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, who was a panel member on Asempa Yetia, disagreed with Mr. Poku.

Annan’s argument was that although inflation had to be tackled to give Ghanaians some respite, the Akufo-Addo government had to increase the allowances of the workers.

“People are working and have to eat,” he added.