President Akufo Addo has charged the newly inaugurated twenty-one member Governing Council of the Social Partnership Agreement signed between Government, Organized Labour and Employers, to do all within its power to support government’s efforts aimed at transforming the country from economic dependence to one totally independent of aid and handouts from the developed world.
Addressing members of the newly sworn-in Governing Council of the Social Partnership at the Jubilee House after administering the Official Oath and the Oath of Secrecy, President Akufo Addo said, “On the 18th of April, 2019, Government signed a landmark Social Partnership Agreement with organized labour represented by the Trade Union Congress; employers, represented by the Ghana Employers Association and government, represented by the Ministries of Finance and Employment and Labour Relations.”
The social partnership which is going to be overseen by this Council, the President said, “provides a platform for reaching a national consensus on transformation and development issues. It provides a mechanism for building a sense of cohesion, trust and self-management through frank and open discussions about mutual sacrifices and contributions from all stakeholders to champion the course of Ghana’s development.”
The President in stating the relevance of the Council said this social partnership is a very important institutional mechanism to help the country achieve economic growth and independence in order not to return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for any form of support or bailout a seventeenth time.
“I am sure the entire nation agrees with me that there should not be a seventeenth time and I am determined to do my part to see to that,” the President said.
From the experience of countries that have successfully transformed their economies and brought prosperity to their peoples, the President said they had invariably been anchored on a strong partnership between government, labour and employers.
“This relationship is aimed at maintaining industry peace, promoting productivity growth, engendering national economic competitiveness, and ensuring shared prosperity and this is exactly what we seek to do here in Ghana as well,” the President stated.
Chairman of the Council
In his response on behalf of his committee members, the Chairman of the Council and Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta said he looks forward to working with his colleagues in pursuit of a shared national purpose for a ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’.
“We will work with the spirit of courage, love and self-discipline. We will work diligently to make you and the nation proud,” Mr. Ofori Atta assured the President.
Members of the Council
Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, is the Chairman of the Committee.
The other members are the Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare; Chief Director of Ministry of Finance, Patrick Nomo; Chairman of Ecobank, Terence Darko; Dr. Yaw Ansu, Senior Policy Adviser, Ministry of Finance; Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Acquah; Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Kizito Ballans.
The remaining are Dr. Yaw Baah, Secretary General of the Trade Unions Congress (TUC); Chief Economist and Director Research and Policy Institute, TUC, Dr. Kwabena Nyarko Otoo; President of NAGRAT, Eric Agbe-Carbonu; General Secretary of GRNMA, Mrs. Perpetua Ofori-Ampofo; Deputy Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Kenneth Koomson; Executive Secretary, CLOGLSAG; President, GEA (MD VOLCO), Dan Acheampong; MD Tropical Cable and Conductor Limited, Tony Oteng Gyasi; CEO, Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Ken Ashigbey; CEO, Ghana Chamber of Mines, Suleyman Koney; MD, Stanbic Bank, Alhassan Andani; CEO Ghana Employees Association, Alex Frimpong and Director; Economic Strategy and Research Division of the Ministry of Finance, Alhassan Iddrisu.
