A Development Economist, Dr. Samuel Ankrah, has applauded the successful end to the impasse between Government and Organized Labuor on the payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to public service workers.

According to him, although the situation could have been contained before the wave of strikes and its detrimental effect on students, it was gratifying that further waves of strikes by other sections of workers in the public sector were averted, and the financial conditions of workers were improved.                                                                               

Dr. Ankrah further advised that “if government wants organised labour to come to terms with the real fiscal status of the country, then the Economic Management Team must be reconstituted to include the membership of Organised Labour, as they stand to make significant input in the management of the economy”.                                                                                                                                      

Dr. Ankrah expressed disappointment at the exclusion of Organised Labour, Employers and other critical stakeholders like the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) and the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in the membership of the economic planning machinery of the state. 

Dr. Ankrah recalled that “Organised Labour have for some time, stressed the need for the state to review its revenue mobilization systems in order to achieve an enhanced denominator of the wage bill. They have also on occasion, called for a hands-on containment of inflation, and the maintenance of macro-economic stability”. “And they always have credible data and analysis to back their stance".

Dr. Ankrah is the President of the Africa Investment Group and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Economists.

Following the end of their agitations for COLA, Organised Labour has further expressed strong reservation both about government’s decision to turn to the IMF; and what they describe as a “class system” and unfairness in public sector pay, occasioned by emoluments the state pays to Article 71 Office holders.