Minimum Wage Only Safety Net - Nduom

The Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Co-operation, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has explained that the minimum wage is supposed to be a safety net that ensures that no worker is cheated by his employer. He said the minimum wage, therefore, does not necessarily mean an automatic increase in the salaries of all workers. Dr Nduom, who was speaking at the 166th Speech and Prize-giving Day of the Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast at the weekend, therefore, appealed to labour unions to reduce the pressure on government to fix a new minimum wage and rather enter into dialogue with their employers for improved conditions of service.
The occasion, which was hosted by the 1982 Year Group of the school, was also used to commission a number of projects, including a refurbished administration block, and a solar power project which were both undertaken by the same year group at the cost of ?270 million. The 1977 Year Group also provided 50 computer desks and chairs and supplied computer networking cables for an Information Technology Centre at the cost of ?114 million while the French Embassy in Accra sponsored the setting up of an Audio-Visual Language Centre as well as scholarships for two French teachers from the school to go to France for a 3-year course in French Language.
Dr Nduom noted that in other parts of the world the fixing of the minimum wage is the sole responsibility of the government who sets it once in five years after which employers and labour bargain for new wages and salaries. The Minister, who was the guest speaker, called on the public to shift their focus from the government and rather take the initiative to rebuke, challenge and correct people in the society who are taking undue advantage of the recent increases in the prices of petroleum products and other problems to cheat.
“We must discipline ourselves in order not to take undue advantage of our current situation. We should not expect to get all that we want today and mortgage our future,” Dr Nduom cautioned. He, however, gave the assurance that the government will endeavour to do what will be acceptable by everybody, adding that “things will get better in Ghana sooner than later”.
He was confident that attaining a $1,000 per capita income by the year 2010 was feasible but was quick to add that “all we need to do is to work hard”. Dr Nduom advised the students to work hard and emulate role models of their school to achieve success by merit, saying that the country can only rely on people who are untiring in their efforts. The minister also advised the students to abstain from sex so as to avoid contracting HIV/AIDS and brighten their chances of becoming successful.
The Senior Minister, Mr J. H. Mensah, who represented the President, expressed concern about the growing indiscipline in the country, saying that “the youth of today are misguided in values and disoriented in their pursuits” and advised that adults should start examining themselves for any failure in delivering their responsibilities to the youth. He said teachers, for instance, have a crucial role to play in molding the character of the youth as children spend more time in school with their teachers than with their parents. Mr Mensah, therefore, called on teachers to act as the guardians, counselors and role models of the children in order to impart the necessary good morals in them.
The Headmistress of the School, Mrs Nancy Thompson, called on the government to establish, at least, one girl’s school in every region in order to make the campaign of educating the girl-child a reality. She said the good performance of students from the school and other schools epitomizes the fact that given the chance, girls, wherever they are, can make an impact, adding that “a greater part of the country’s human resource is being wasted.”
Mrs Thompson appealed to the government, old students and the general public to assist the school to expand its facilities in order to admit the increasing number of qualified applicants. She also appealed for computers and accessories for the Information Technology Centre. The President of the 1982 Year Group, Mrs Naa Odarley Bortei-Doku, said the group organised a Sponsored Walk that yielded ?70 million which was used to start the first phase of the power project and said the group also provided 300 textbooks as prizes for deserving students.
The wife of the Asantehene, Mrs Julia Osei-Tutu, who chaired the function, donated two computers for the Information Centre and announced that the Otumfuo Education Fund is sponsoring six students in the school. The school honoured some female personalities who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavour. They are Miss Eva Lokko, first female Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Rev. Mrs Afo-Blay, the first female Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Mrs Elizabeth Robertson, first female Deputy Inspector-General of Police and Mrs Ofori-Atta, first female Executive Director in mining operations. Prizes were awarded to deserving students and staff.