Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson says Ghana’s Government will make decent employment and better living standards for workers the central focus of its New Economy agenda.
Dr. Forson outlined the priorities during a meeting with the leadership and members of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), as the NDC Government prepares to shift its attention from stabilising the economy to broader economic transformation.
He said the party’s manifesto had set out a two-stage approach, with economic stability identified as the initial priority before a stronger focus on the microeconomy.
“If you look at the NDC manifesto, you will notice that we said we will spend half of our time to stabilise the economy, and after we lock in the economy and stabilise it, we move towards the microeconomic,” he said.
According to the Finance Minister, the Government had now reached the point where it could concentrate more directly on supporting businesses and expanding employment opportunities.
“That is where we are going now, and so you will see us moving towards the microeconomy, where jobs, decent jobs are created,” Dr. Forson added.
The next stage of the Government’s economic programme will place workers, businesses and employment at the heart of the country’s transformation plans.
Dr. Forson said the approach was intended to ensure that economic progress translated into improved conditions for Ghanaian workers, while also creating the environment needed for businesses to grow.
The Government’s announcement comes after its initial emphasis on restoring stability to the economy. That phase, as set out in the NDC manifesto, was to precede policies aimed at driving wider economic change through the microeconomy.
TUC General Secretary Joshua Ansah welcomed the New Economy initiative and said he hoped it would deliver new opportunities for workers and lead to improved wages for Ghanaian employees.
The meeting provided the platform for the Government to explain how its economic priorities would evolve, with job creation now identified as a key measure of the next phase of its programme.
