Government Will Do Everything To Protect Workers Income And Pensions - Prez Akufo-Addo

As the payment of salaries and allowances accounts for 56.01 percent of tax revenue, the president has called for increased productivity. The president has also stated that his administration has protected the jobs and incomes of employees.

In an era of economic crisis, he stated that the protection of incomes and pensions is contingent on increased productivity, enhanced revenue mobilization, effective expenditure management, and, in particular, the effective and sustainable management of the public sector wage bill.

"Today, the expenditure on compensation of employees, which includes wages and salaries, allowances, pensions, gratuities, and social security contributions, accounts for 56,01 % of tax revenue, which is greater than the ECOWAS threshold of 35 %, resulting in a severe fiscal crowding-out effect.

"This calls for immediate steps to increase productivity in the public service and aggressively increase revenue collection by the Ghana Revenue Authority," he told the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on May 1 during the May Day celebrations in Bolgatanga.

Given that the development of public expenditures far exceeds that of revenue, he stated that the government should reduce expenditures, including the wage bill for the public sector, to sustainable levels.

To this end, he stated, "I would like to request the Tripartite, consisting of the Government, Organized Labor, and Employers Association, to reactivate the Social Partnership Council, which was established in April 2019 but whose mandate expired in December 2022.

To advocate Ghana's development, the Social Partnership Council provides a mechanism for fostering cohesion, trust, self-management, and participation in open discussions involving mutual sacrifices from all stakeholders.

"I am informed that the government has already sent out a call for nominations to the Tripartite for the reconstitution of the Social Partnership Council.


I hereby request that the Tripartite nominate candidates for the immediate reconstitution of the Social Partnership Council.

This is consistent with the March 2022 Kwahu Declaration, which called for the Social Partnership Council to be strengthened as a platform for consensus-building on development policies and programs.

"Allow me to address a very crucial topic, namely the status of the IMF programme negotiations.