Trades Organization Congress (TUC), Ghana’s largest labor union, asserts that it is prepared to oppose any attempt by the government to subject Ghanaians to suffering as a result of IMF conditions (IMF).
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has given the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, the go-ahead to start engagements as Ghana prepares for its 18th extended credit facility (ECF) from the Fund.
On Wednesday, July 6, representatives of the Fund are anticipated in the nation.
The TUC, meanwhile, has opposed the plan, claiming that the bailout won’t alter the nation’s economic status from what it is now.
“Ghana has done this seventeen times and government has just announced the commencement of engagements for the eighteenth IMF-sponsored programme,” said a statement signed by TUC’s Secretary General Dr Anthony Yaw Baah.
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“One thing is very certain – the eighteenth IMF programme will not solve our problems.
“Therefore, we should be prepared for the nineteenth, twentieth and more programmes in the next few years, even though it is so obvious that IMF programmes pay practically no attention to the removal of structural constraints to sustainable growth and development.”
Dr Yaw Baah further stated that his union was not consulted in the decision by government and so they will also not back down on any demands they have made on government even if the IMF conditionalities are triggered.
“We would like to remind government that, as part of the negotiations for the 2021 and 2022 base pay, we agreed to the four and seven percent pay increases respectively on condition that government will not declare redundancies in the public service and that government will continue to employ young people into the public service.
“We would like government to note that the working people of Ghana will do whatever it takes to prevent the imposition of needless hardships on them and the good people of Ghana.”
