The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU), Ghana has joined other organisations to vehemently opposed the government’s intention, as outlined in the 2023 budget statement, to appropriate interests on workers’ pension funds in its bid at economic recovery.
In a statement to outrightly reject the move, the ICU said, “the future financial security of workers (and for that matter pensioners) is sacrosanct and, as such, must not be violated under any circumstances.”
It indicated that if the meagre pension paid to majority of retired workers in the country, is given a ‘haircut, through withholding of interest on the pension funds, then the fate of retired workers who have paid their dues to the nation and deserve a decent and comfortable pension to live on as their reward for the many years of service and sacrifice to their country hangs in a balance.
“Contemplating the deprivation and the bleak future that the proposition by the government would foist on the poor pensioner, the ICU-Ghana cannot but join in the remonstration being made by our sister trade union organisations, and
Organisers of Workers Engaged in: Banks, Non-bank Financial Institutions, Mining&Mining Services, Insurance Companies, Hotel, Catering & Allied Undertakings, Retail &CommercialUndertakings, Paper &Printing Industries, Public Boards &Corporations, GeneralIndustries, Textile, Hospital, Agriculture, Garment, Leather&Fur, Metal &Automobile, Professional &ManagerialStuff, Informal Sector, Tourism andOil&Gas.
We call upon the government to rescind its decision and never touch the pension funds in the domestic debt exchange/rescheduling programme as, otherwise, the ICU-Ghana would act in concert with other labour unions in the country to protect the security/welfare of workers, especially pensioners,” the statement signed by ICU General Secretary, Morgan Ayawine, concluded.
Source: otixpres.com