Ghana today joins labour movements the world over to celebrate this year’s May Day. The theme for the country is, “Pensions: It is your right and responsibility”. The day will be marked by regional parades of labour unions, with a national parade to be held in Takoradi. The national event will be addressed by President John Mahama. The Secretary General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr Kofi Asamoah, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said by focusing on pensions as the theme forth the day, the union was drawing attention to the issue to let workers “appreciate the fact that when they have contributed to their country and retire, they have to be comfortable”. “People do not take pensions seriously when they are working and this must not be so. We want to sensitise all Ghanaians, so that they know that pensions are critical matters, even while they are actively working”, he said. Currently, many pensioners live in deplorable conditions because they were paid peanuts during their working lives. “It is time to look at pensions to ensure that employers calculate them properly, pay them consistently and also improve upon the wages of workers,” Mr Asamoah said. He said it was also time for workers to sensitise themselves to the new pension regime and what it entailed and ensure that their pensions were managed effectively. On what was expected as policy directives from the President in his address on the day, Mr Asamoah said labour unions expected comments form him on the deplorable condition of pensioners, the management of workers’ pensions, wages that would improve pensions and labour relations in general in the country. Meanwhile, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has sent a solidarity message to organised labour on the occasion of May Day.