President Nana Akufo-Addo seems to be on the side of Employers on International Workers’ Day, Monday criticizing the work force of having no respect for working hours.
He noted that low productivity is hurting the economy, saying workers have sadly accepted the poor trend as the norm.
“We arrive at work late and then spend the first hour in prayer, we are clock watchers and leave in the middle of critical work because it is the official closing time. Everything comes to a stop when it rains and we seem to expect the rest of the world also to stop. We pray, we eat, we visit during working hours, spend hours chatting on the telephone when customers are waiting to be served, thereby increasing our labour cost. We take a week off for every funeral and then we wonder why we are not competitive,” he told scores of labour unions that gathered at the Independence Square to mark this year’s May Day celebration.
In another passage of his speech, the President said “there is a particularly pernicious attitude to property that we find at work. There is a petty stealing of paper, envelopes, tea, milk and other equipment. There is a reckless use of office vehicles. Employees show no inclination to protect the things that are in the offices, and factories, and extreme reluctance to stand up for what we know to be right in our workplaces in general.”
He stressed that the Change that Ghanaians are clamoring for should first begin in the Ghanaian attitude to work and behaviour.
He assured that government- the employer is committed to improving the conditions of work of every Ghanaian worker, but asked labour to embrace the campaign for #change in attitude to work.
“Government is ready to do its part, and I’m counting on you-Secretary General to lead the campaign for a change in attitude to work and increase in productivity. I’ve taken note of Organized Labour requests to discuss a number of issues with government in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.”
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