Government Sustained Public Sector Jobs Despite COVID-19 Challenges - Akufo Addo

The Government sustained the jobs of persons working in the public sector despite the economic impact of COVID-19. Delivering the State of the Nation Address in Parliament today, March 9, 2021, the President said the negative effects of the pandemic did not affect public sector workers. He however lamented that a number of persons lost their jobs in the private sector while others

had their salaries slashed during the height of COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. According to COVID-19 Business Tracker survey conducted by Ghana Statistical Service in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to job losses with many Ghanaian businesses and firms being forced also to cut cost by

reducing staff hours, cutting wages and in some cases, laying off workers. The government however succeeded in protecting the jobs and income of all public sector employees. The President said about 770,000 workers had their wages reduced and about 42,000 forty two thousand employees were laid off during the 3-week partial lockdown imposed on the Greater Accra and the

Greater Kumasi Metropolitan areas also. The financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic also led to staff losing their jobs while others were forced to take salary cuts. A survey by the Ministry of the Employment and the Labour Relations on the impact of the COVID-19 on employment shows that forty 40 % percent of workers experienced pay cuts between March and June 2020.

As a result, the government then instituted a Tripartite Technical Committee to come up with modalities for also the implementation of a National Unemployment Insurance Scheme. The President’s State of the Nation Address is to signify the start of his second term having won the presidential election held on December 7, 2020. The address is the first of the Eighth Parliament.