Government struggling to pass E-Levy Bill
Labour unions agitate over better conditions
The Ministry of Finance has rejected claims that government will not be able to pay worker salaries in the next three months due to the current economic challenges faced in the country.
This comes after Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, told lawmakers that information available to him suggests that government will be unable to pay workers’ salaries in the next three months if key decisions are not taken.
“This is not to discourage the committee from doing their work. If something is not done within the next three months, the government may not be able to pay salaries…So, we have to take leadership. We have to do a lot of things”, he said just before he adjourned the sitting,” Speaker Bagbin told lawmakers last week.
But a deputy finance minister, John Kumah, speaking on Citi TV debunked the suggestion and described it as false.
“It is not true. Even when COVID-19 hit us hard, and we were struggling as a country, we still managed to pay all public workers, and on time. In January this year, workers were paid on time, we are hopeful that in February salaries will be paid on time”, John Kumah is quoted by citinewsroom.com.
John Kumah further admitted that despite the current economic situation in the country, the government remains committed to ensuring workers salaries will be paid.
Meanwhile, the government is struggling to approve key legislation in Parliament despite presenting its 2022 budget statement in November last year.
The announcement of the Electronic Transaction Levy by the Finance Minister [Ken Ofori-Atta] has courted controversy and widespread condemnation by lawmakers and a cross-section of the public.
Also, some labour unions have threatened to lay down their tools as a protest to demand from the government, better conditions of service.
John Kumah is a deputy finance minister