Leadership of the FORUM suspend May 2 strike

The FORUM, comprising nine labour unions, has suspended its intended nationwide strike on May 2, 2024. 

The leadership of the unions took the decision after government agreed to release over GHC1 billion to pay the nine months arrears owed them under the second-tier pension scheme before the May Day celebrations.

General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and also a member of the FORUM, Mr. Thomas Tanko Musah, spoke exclusively to our labour correspondent, Daniel Opoku.

He was concerned about the delay in the payment of union dues which has been in arrears for three months.

“Dues will be paid by the close of this week, by Friday we expect that all arrears will be paid,” he said.

The General Secretary and member of the FORUM recalled President Akufo-Addo’s promise to pay over 5,000 pensioners who were shortchanged during the payment of the benefits in the year 2020.

“Those monies have been calculated and is approximately GHC56 million, and that is to be paid by the close of this week and the number is 5,000 plus”.

On the nine months second-tier arrears, the General Secretary was emphatic that payment will be done before the May Day celebrations.

“Third issue was payment of the nine months arrears, Controller [and Accountant General’s Department] and the Ministry of Finance owe nine months, the government is owing the public sector schemes GHC1 billion”.

“We have set up a committee to look at the penalties to be paid on the GHC1 billion arrears”.

It would be recalled that members of the FORUM scheduled May 2 to begin a nationwide strike to demand the resolution of the matter.

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By Daniel Opoku