President John Agyekum Kufuor has asked the leadership of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) to urge its members into high productivity. “If we are not productive and talk of improved living wages then we are not being just,” he said. The President, who was speaking to the outgoing Secretary General of the TUC, Mr. Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, who paid a courtesy call on him at the Castle Osu, said government “would never cheat or take the workforce for a ride,” but would share the wealth of the nation equally. Mr. Adu-Amankwah’s visit was to officially inform President Kufour of his new appointment as the General Secretary of the International Trades Union Confederation, African Regional Organization (ITUC- Africa). For the four years that he would be in office, Mr. Adu-Amankwah would be based at the ITUC’s headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The President, who pledged government’s commitment to ensuring fair wages and salaries for all workers in the country, noted that over the past seven years, government has accelerated itself in the history of the nation as far as wages of workers are concerned. President Kufuor congratulated Mr. Amankwah, saying he had added one more honour to Ghana’s pride by registering the country’s presence at the international level. He advised him to try and influence the various African governments to work towards a common principle of good governance, in addition to working to raise the standards of the workforce in Africa. “Your election shows the confidence your colleagues have reposed in you. Do not disappoint yourself, Ghana and Africa as a whole,” he admonished. Mr. Adu-Amankwah, after expressing his appreciation to President Kufour and government for co-operating with TUC in striving for improved conditions of service, hoped that the co-operation would be sustained. He mentioned that though he would focus more on regional issues, he would still keep an eye on developments in Ghana. Mr. Adu-Amankwah hinted that in the meantime, the Executive Board of the GTUC has met and decided that Mr. Kofi Asamoah acts as the Secretary General. The TUC however would hold its congress later in the year to elect a substantive Secretary General. SOURCE: DAILY GUIDE