Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffuor Awuah has hinted that the National Tripartite Committee has agreed to receive recommendations from a 15 member technical committee in determining the National Minimum Wage for the year 2021.

This is expected in two weeks’ time following an agreement between the government and organized labour.

According to the Minister, the committee is expected to consider some economic factors and environmental conditions in determining the daily minimum wage.

Speaking to the media after the first meeting of the National Tripartite Committee in Accra, Mr. Baffour Awuah said “minimum wage is not only critical to government but the private sector and employees as well and government alone cannot determine the national minimum wage…that is why we have a committee and members drawn from the relevant stakeholders.”

“As we always do, we have selected the technical committee members and will be expecting their report in two weeks after which we will negotiate on their recommendations and come up with an agreed structure” he said.

The engagement is being done through the National Tripartite Committee, which is bringing together employers, organized labor and government.

This is coming after months of delays, which resulted in some backlashes to government, accused of not being committed to salary reviews.

The National Daily Minimum Wage is currently pegged at GH¢11.82 after it was increased in 2019. 

However, going into this negotiation, one major question that should be answered is whether workers can secure the appropriate living wage, based on the current economic conditions.

General Secretary of the Ghana Trade Union Congress, Dr. Yaw Baah believes the recommendations will be favorable to all the parties.