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The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called on the Minister-designate for Employment and Labour Relations to provide the platform for the views of the labour force when he assumes office.

Deputy Secretary General of TUC, Joshua Ansah, asked Ignatius Baffour Awuah, to prioritise the labour issues and “take labour issues very seriously.”

In an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday, Mr Ansah declared the Union’s support for the Minister-designate.

He said the Union would the call the minister to order if need be.

Mr Ansah said the Employment and Labour Ministry is key and therefore needs a very competent personality for its management.

“It is a key ministry and if Ghana would actually develop, it depends on the contribution of workers towards the socio-economic development of the country and any serious government would ensure that whoever is put in that ministry is up to the task.”

In terms of competence, Mr Ansah is optimistic the minister-designate would be able to deliver due to his vast knowledge in labour issues.

He said the Minister-designate had moved through the ranks from District Chief Executive through to Deputy Regional Minister and Brong- Ahafo Regional Minister during the Kufuor era.

“If there would be peace industrially, it would depend on the relationship that the Minister would bring to bear between his office and our office,” he noted.
Commenting on the increase in the number of the ministries from 24 to 36, Mr Ansah said it is good move, saying that he believes the President wants people to be in charge of all the issues raised during the campaign season.

He called on Ghanaians to focus more on the outcome of the work of the various ministries, especially on the six additionally created ones.

Meanwhile, Mr Ansah has called on the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sternly deal with the issue of corruption.

He stressed the need for sole sourcing to be abolished except in exceptional cases, which the 1992 Constitution permitted if the country would get value for money.

“If proper measures are put in place, I don’t see why we should go for sole-sourcing,” Mr Ansah said.

He also called on the President to make the creation of jobs the hallmark of this government.

He said: “We are waiting for a day when labour in Ghana would come out chest out that we are now having a living wage rather than a minimum wage.”