The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, climaxed his three-day tour of the Greater Accra region with an interactive engagement with organized labour, professional associations and some quasi-members of the Trades Union Congress of Ghana.
The groups comprised the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Ghana Medical Association, Ghana Bar Association, Ghana National Association of Teachers, Private School Teachers Association, National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana National Teachers Association, Ghana Pharmaceutical Society, Ghana Association of Laboratory Scientists, Ghana Institution of Engineers, , Ghana Chemists Association, and the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association.
The rest are Ghana Association of Social Workers, Ghana Institute of Architects, Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Chartered Institute of Bankers (Ghana), Ghana Dental Association, Ghana Physiotherapy Association, Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA – Ghana Chapter), Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain Professionals, Institute of Chartered Economists of Ghana, Ghana Health Service Professionals Association, Ghana Statistical Service Workers Association and the Ghana Technology and IT Professionals Association.
During the interaction, President Akufo-Addo expressed gratitude to the groups for supporting him and said he considers it an immeasurable honour to serve two full terms as President of the country.
He spoke about the legacy of peace and stability of our nation in the face of the ever-increasing threats of terrorist insurgency across the Sahelian region and applauded the partnership between organized labour, professional bodies and government.
On organized labour, he said the dominant feature has not been one of strife and civil action but a period of fruitful cooperation and mutual understanding between government and organized labour.
“A telling outcome of this cooperation led to Ghana’s global acclaim on the stellar management of the pernicious COVID-19 pandemic.”
He was also particularly happy about the universality and multi-sectoral coverage of government initiatives, saying there has been no discrimination ethnic, religious, etc.
According to him, government policies have been inclusive and participatory across all sectors of organized labour.
Touching on the new educational system, he said it is not only broadening and expanding access but also advancing quality and by a notable extension, social cohesion.
This new educational masterplan, he said, targets a significant increase from an abysmal 18 percent to 40 percent progression rate into tertiary education.
“These key reforms have become significant to ensure that Ghana does not miss out on the fourth industrial revolution, once again, after losing out on the first, second and third industrial revolutions, he added.
He stated that, “it has been a productive eight years that has witnessed the fastest rate of growth at a pre-covid 8.3 percent as well as a systemic expansion of GDP that has grown in multiples of four since I took office.”
On his successor, he said, Bawumia with his proven track-record of honesty, credibility and competence, is in the position to give us the leadership needed for the fourth industrial revolution.
The General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union, Morgan Ayawine, on behalf of organized labour, congratulated President Akufo-Addo for his time in office and made specific mention of the relationship between government and the unions.
