Govt begs labour to back down on intended demo

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu, has called on Labour Unions to rescind their decision to demonstrate and return to the negotiation table.

Organised Labour has said it will go ahead with its planned two-day nationwide demonstration which is expected to be held on Wednesday, January 20.

This follows government's refusal to reduce an increase in taxes and utility tariffs at a meeting between the two bodies on Thursday.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) in December 2015, increased electricity and water tariffs by 59.2 percent and 67.2 percent respectively.

RELATED: Govt, labour meeting over utility tariff hikes ends in deadlock

Government also rejected a request by the labour unions for the controversial energy sector levy to be scrapped.

The levy has resulted in a 28% increase in prices of petroleum products.

At a press briefing, Haruna Iddrisu appealed to Organised Labour to continue to dialogue with the government of Ghana while negotiations continue.

“At the last negotiation meeting, I conveyed on behalf of government a commitment to examine the PURC adjusted tariffs and to convey on the basis of numbers to Organised Labour that which government may be able to absorb, in the event that the PURC can do a downward review of that.”

He added that the decision of labour unions to embark on a strike action while negotiations were ongoing is 'not a fair practice.'

“Organised Labour has asked the government to review the PURC tariffs down to 50 percent. That is where we are in the course of the negotiations and that is what displeases me personally about their intended declared action to proceed on a demonstration and strike while negotiations are ongoing…That is not a fair practice.”

"Even if we were to adjust the price from 59 to 54 percent, government will be required to raise an additional 350 million Ghana cedis to support it because this has been conveyed to the independent power producers. If we were to bring it down from 59% to about 52%, government would have to look for additional 500 million to support and cushion the differences; but notwithstanding, government is willing to accommodate a certain downward adjustment and review of the PURC levies," the Minister added.

Meanwhile, Solomon Kotei of the Industrial and Commercial Workers has told Accra-based Joy FM, the demonstration will go ahead as planned.