Organized Labour has asked government to immediately address what it describes as the unbearable cost of living in the country.

Speaking at this year’s national May Day parade in Wa in the Upper West region, Secretary General of the Trades Unions Congress (TUC), Kofi Asamoah noted that the cost of living in the country is now getting out of hands and standard of living is also falling.

He said workers are suffering from the effects of the various taxes and levies imposed on the citizens.

Recent inflation figures in his view indicate that the cost of living is soaring out of control.

“The realities of the market show harder times for Ghanaians than what the inflation figures show,” he said, adding “a good example is the cost of utilities including electricity and water." Mr. Asamoah said. 

He lamented how nearly every household or firm is complaining about the cost of electricity in particular.

“Our incomes have plummeted in real terms and our standard of living is falling rapidly. Something urgent, Mr. President, something urgent needs to be done to save the situation for Ghanaians,” he told the gathering. 

The theme for this year’s May Day Celebration is ‘Election 2016, the role of workers in securing peaceful election for national development’.

While calling on all political parties to ensure Ghana records yet another incident free election, Mr. Asamoah called on Ghanaians to vote for candidates who have policies to create jobs and turn the economic fortunes of the country around.

He said the election must not be about issues that divide and undermine the national unity and coercion.

“The elections are not about tribes neither are they a beauty contest, the parties must take note of that and must refrain from unguided statements that place no food on the table of ordinary Ghanaian,” said Mr. Asamoah.

“In this regard, we entreat Ghanaians to vote for candidates who have the greatest ideas about the creation of jobs, improvement in incomes and access to housing, education, health, electricity, water and sanitation,” he added.

He called on civil society organizations and the media to “join us to place this issues on the political agenda and banish forever politics of  trivialities.”