Convenor for the Aggrieved Public Sector Workers, Norbert Gborgbortsi says the union is demanding a 25 per cent increase in salaries from the government for its members.

Speaking on JoyNews' PM Express, he noted that public sector workers will not settle for anything less than the aforementioned percentage.

"We are protesting against 4 per cent increment but what we seek is not 10 per cent. What we seek is 25 per cent and nothing less than that," he told host, Aisha Ibrahim on Wednesday.

His comments come after the union on Wednesday morning marched through the streets of Accra to protest the inadequate increment in salaries.

Some of the aggrieved protestors who spoke to JoyNews said “it is very sad to see our leaders doing this to us; it is not fair.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Norbert Gborgbortsi says the group disagrees with the assertion that government has no money in its coffers due to the adverse effects the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the economy.

According to him, the same government that made such an assertion is paying other sector workers a huge sum in percentages.

"We also disagree with the Finance Minister changing his words now and then. The first time he told us that there is no money in the coffers but the other time we met him, he was saying that he agreed with our leaders on the 4 per cent because he didn't want inflation to rise and these are two different factors," he added.

Technical Adviser at the Finance Ministry, Dr Samuel Nii Noi Ashong earlier this year said: "If you look at the budget, Covid-19 is not expected to abate until the end of 2023 and we’re all looking to be tightening our belts for a while and people should not be expecting huge wage increases in the course of the next few years. This is because we don’t have money to pay for it.

“You’ll realise that between wages and compensations for employees and unencumbered domestic revenues. If you net up all the mandated transfers which are required by law, talk of GETFund transfers, National Health Insurance, District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), the rest which is left is not enough to pay for wages and salaries, goods and service, social intervention programmes, that portion alone is not enough to pay for even wages and salaries."

But Mr. Norbert Gborgbortsi insists the increase in public sector wages by 4 per cent is insulting.

"We disagree entirely with the 4 per cent increase. We think it is an insult because if you are telling us that you are giving us 4 per cent but you have created a hostile environment of which we are supposed to go into that same market where you have given a sector of the public some 20 and 30 per cent, you have also given us these nuisance taxes, about five to six taxes we are to pay, now with this four per cent, are you sure if we go to the market we will be able to compete with the 20 and 30 per cent that have already been unleashed into the market.

"We are saying it is woefully inadequate," he complained.

He noted that government found it necessary to increase the salaries of article 71 officeholders by 79 per cent due to issues such as inflation but decided to settle for a 4 per cent salary increment for public sector workers who earn about GH¢500.

"Same has been done for themselves. They saw the need to increase their salaries by 79 per cent, starting from 53 to 79 per cent, that is article 71 officeholders and when you do that, you that do not buy anything, we provide almost everything for you, if you sit and you analyze then you see that per what happened last and what is happening this year, inflation and other factors taken into consideration, your salary has to be increased by 79 per cent, then what of the public sector worker that is receiving somewhere GH500.00?" he concluded.