The General Secretary of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU), Bernard Adjei, has stated that public sector workers expect their emoluments to be paid on time, regardless of the current political and economic uncertainty facing the country.

According to him, labour continues to fulfill its obligations and expects salaries to be paid without delays.

“We are labour, and there are certain things we also expect, including our emoluments. Nothing should stop them from coming because we will continue to work, no matter what happens,” he asserted in an interview on Joy FM Top Story on Tuesday.

This comes amid concerns that public sector salaries for the first three months of 2025, along with the operations of the entire government machinery, are at risk of disruption following Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam's repeated failure to present the mini-budget.

Speaking on the issue of the delayed mini-budget and its implications, Mr. Adjei underscored the importance of safeguarding essential state expenditures to prevent any unnecessary national crisis.

“It is very important for us all to acknowledge that the kind of democracy we are practicing must not cripple our lives or the nation as a whole,” he stated. “Parliament, as our lawmakers, have the responsibility to ensure that they manage state affairs in a manner that does not put us into any avoidable crisis.”

Mr. Adjei also addressed concerns about wage increments, revealing that the government had failed to negotiate with labour unions prior to the elections, as required by law.

“The law says negotiations should be done in April, but the truth is, since the law came into force, we’ve never adhered to that timeline. Most negotiations conclude in September or October, and the targets are incorporated into the next year’s plans.”

He criticised the outgoing government’s decision to delay negotiations, stating, “This year, the government chose not to negotiate before the elections, and that is where we are now. However, we are negotiators, and if a new government comes in January, we will make our case.”

“We believe the new government will see eye-to-eye with us. We will negotiate, play by the rules, and agree on a workable solution that does not put Ghana into any crisis.”

He added that democracy, while challenging at times, must evolve to prevent political elites from holding the nation, hostage.