Vice-President and New Patriotic Party presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, assured the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday (29 May) that he would strengthen the National Labour Commission (NLC) under his Presidency by establishing offices across the country.
He emphasized that this step would ensure the NLC’s effective and full-time operation.
Dr Bawumia made these remarks during a meeting with the TUC membership in Accra.
He also stated that if the new Labour Act is not reviewed by the end of this year, he would ensure its review and passage under his administration to safeguard workers’ rights.
The Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) governs employment and labour matters in Ghana, consolidating all related laws.
The National Labour Commission (NLC) is responsible for administering these laws.
Dr Bawumia reiterated his intention to implement a flat tax rate in 2025 after granting tax amnesty to all individuals in the country.
Regarding stabilizing the cedi’s value, he mentioned that the Bank of Ghana (BoG), with sufficient gold reserves, would provide the needed stability to prevent frequent depreciation of the Ghanaian currency.
To achieve this, Bawumia stated that his government would ensure all gold concessions are owned by Ghanaians, and gold processed in the country is sold to the central bank to bolster reserves.
He also pledged to support the Geological Survey Authority and technical universities in exploring the country’s seven gold belts to ensure positive outcomes from the gold concessions.
Dr Bawumia restated his plan to establish a Minerals Development Bank to assist small-scale miners in securing funding, noting that the sector could generate three billion dollars annually.
In terms of fiscal discipline improvement, the NPP presidential candidate assured that his administration would ensure the Fiscal Responsibility Council operates independently, overseeing the Ministry of Finance.
He promised to reduce government expenditure by 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to about GHc30 billion annually.
Dr Bawumia reaffirmed his commitment not to appoint more than 50 Ministers under his administration.
Regarding constitutional matters, the NPP Flagbearer pledged to review Article 87 of the 1992 Constitution and the National Development Planning Commission Act (Act 479) to align with the nation’s development aspirations.
Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, the general secretary of TUC, welcomed Dr Bawumia and expressed confidence in the presidential candidates’ plans for the nation, noting that ideas, systems, and institutions are crucial for transforming a country.
He suggested that the two major political parties, the NDC and NPP, could even form an alliance to implement a “24-hour Economy with Digitisation,” which elicited laughter from the audience.
Dr Baah presented the TUC’s manifesto, which focuses on six key thematic areas: social and human development, economic policy, labour market policy, energy and power, governance policy, and climate change and environmental policy.
He emphasized that these thematic areas are crucial for transforming the nation.
The TUC presented Dr Bawumia with 10 copies of its manifesto.
Accompanying the NPP presidential candidate were Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu, the chairman of the NPP manifesto committee; Joseph Cudjoe, Minister of Public Enterprises; and Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations.