Former Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has accused organized labour of exhibiting double standards in its dealings with the Nana Addo and Mahama administrations. According to the lawmaker labour has been inconsistent in its demands of salary increments. Organized labour has accepted a 10% base pay increment from the government despite an initial request of 60%.
In a post on social media Rev. John Ntim Fordjour questioned why labour threatened a protest against the Nana Addo administration after it had announced a 30% increment but would gladly accept a 10% increment from the Mahama administration. He described the developments as a politically motivated accusing some labour unions of prioritising partisan interests over the welfare of workers.
“In 2024, Akufo-Addo offered all public sector workers a 25% salary increment, yet sections of organised labour vehemently opposed it and threatened to strike. Today, Mahama offers a mere 10% increase, and some of the same unions have suddenly turned into government spokespeople, justifying why this amount is acceptable. What has changed? Are we not in the same economy? Eiii, stomach agenda nkoaa!” the MP wrote in a post on social media.
The MP followed up with a detailed chart illustrating salary increments under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from 2017 to 2024, showing adjustments ranging from 10% in 2019 to as high as 30% in 2023.
On 20th February 2025, the Mahama administration, following negotiations with organised labour, approved a 10% salary increment for public sector employees, effective from 1st March.
This decision followed a 23% increment implemented in 2024 under the previous government, which had been aimed at mitigating economic hardship but had failed to appease labour unions at the time.
Despite the current administration’s lower offer, some labour representatives have defended the decision, citing economic difficulties inherited from the previous government.
President Mahama who personally attended the negotiations with organized labour urged public sector workers to be patient with his government, given the sorry state of the economy. He assured labour however that once the economy bounces back it will reflect in subsequent increments.
