The Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Ghana has charged public and private sector workers in the country to endeavour to save part of their income toward retirement by making their pension a responsibility while in active employment.

This call comes on the heels of the revelation at this year’s May Day celebration that 6% of the 1.6 million people in Ghana above the age of 60 enjoy SSNIT benefit, with some few others being on Cap 30 and University pensions. The remaining 1.5 million are said not to be on any form of pension, with most of them surviving below the national poverty line of GHS2.00 a day.

The TUC believes that these men and women, who have contributed in diverse ways to support growth and development of the country, should be allowed to enjoy a decent retirement and pension after their long period of service to the country. Sadly, however, many people in the country become poor immediately after retirement. A situation the TUC describes as shameful and unacceptable considering the enormous wealth of the country, and demands an immediate redress to change the fate of retirees.

It is against this backdrop that a basic income grant has been proposed for all old people who are 60 years and above and not on pension. It was further proposed that the grant be made equal to the inflation-adjusted nutrition-based National Poverty Line and be reviewed upward periodically in line with increases in the cost of living. It is hoped that by so doing, poverty will be eradicated from among those who go on retirement.

The TUC however also pledged its commitment to partner the ministry in charge of social protection toward the eradication of poverty among the senior citizens.

These and more were among the major highlights in a speech delivered by Clement A. Kaba, Ashanti Regional Secretary of TUC at the Regional May Day celebration, which came off at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi.

This year’s event was organised under the theme “Pension: It Is Your Right and Your Responsibility”.

Hon. Eric Opoku, Ashanti Regional Minister, on behalf of Government acknowledged the contributions of pensioners to growth the Ghanaian economy and hinted at efforts being taken to address the difficulties pensioners go through in accessing their retirement benefits.

He highlighted the newly-introduced pension scheme and gave an indication of Government’s preparedness to scrutinise and regulate the operations of private sector actors entrusted with the contributions of workers to ensure the interests of workers are upheld at all times.

He further urged organised labour to also take interest in the operations of all the three tiers in the pension system to safeguard the interests of workers against unscrupulous investment decisions and managerial malpractices.

Conspicuous in this year’s May Day event were the workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana, who have long been part of almost all Workers Day celebrations. The event, which took almost an hour late, was nearly marred on commencement by rainfall. However, workers from the various organisations who had gathered to observe the occasion defied the showers to proceed with the activities lined up.

In a related development, Edward Adjei Frimpong reports from Techiman that the Brong Ahafo Regional Celebration of May Day held at the Ebenezer Methodist School Park in Techiman was marred by a rainstorm -- bringing the event to an abrupt end.

Some few minutes after the officials had arrived for commencement of the programme, strong wind blew away parts of the mounted canopies -- causing pandemonium as everybody fled the durbar grounds to seek refuge, including the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister Paul Evans Aidoo and his Deputy Justice Samuel Adjei, who were whisked away in their vehicles.

After raining for close to 45 minutes, officials of the TUC tried to reorganise the programme but the intensity of the rainstorm dispersed the crowd while they were presenting awards to deserving workers of the region.

Earlier in the morning, Organised Labour held a procession through the principal streets of Techiman interlaced with brass band music.

Unlike previous years when the majority of workers, particularly public sector ones, used the platform to express their dismay over certain labour issues - such as late migration onto the Single Spine Pay Policy and its irregularities -- this year’s event was relatively on the quiet note.

Some few Union Groups, including Health Workers and Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), displayed placards to indicate that they still have issues with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

Their placards had inscriptions such as “Graham has broken the spine”, “Fair Wages Commission must be fair”, “Graham, how fair is your Fair Wages?’ and “Mr. Prez, hear our cry”.