By Zulka / padfm.com.gh / May 1, 2021.
May 1, each year marks International Workers Day. It’s a day set aside to celebrate the gallant workers across Ghana and other parts of the world.
Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese, the Youth Imam, says workers are sad in Ghana today because of the increasing hard conditions of living, intimidations at work side, high taxes, culture of silence and Covid-19 Pandemic woes.
In his latest article, Kudus laments that ” today, as the nation is saddled with the excesses of covid-19, our government led by President Nana Addo and Dr Bawumia have compounded the already worse situation of the ordinary Ghanaian, it’s workers and businesses by increasing and introducing new taxes that have the propensity to cripple businesses and to reduce the purchasing power of the ordinary Ghanaian worker “
This is the full article.
THE PARADOX OF THE GHANAIAN WORKER AS HE MARKS INTERNATIONAL LABOUR DAY.
(The Youth Imam’s Lamentations)
As Dr Bawumia (VEEP) and his boss, President Akufo-Addo joined workers to celebrate International Labour Day today, 1st May, 2021, what was on the table for the Ghanaian worker? What was the request from the leadership of the labour unions? Are we seeing and feeling the anger from the leadership of the labour unions and workers in general as usual of them on this day in the past?
Shouldn’t the VEEP and his boss be explaining to us why they have introduced and in some cases increased in threshold taxes which in the past they referred to as NUISANCE TAXES? Don’t we as workers and as a people deserve to know why our government now borrow consumption instead of borrowing to invest in social and economic infrastructure which in the long run will engineer economic growth and ultimate economic development? Why do we borrow for consumption when the country can generate enough internal resources to take care of her people? Were we not told in the past that Ghana doesn’t need to borrow because we have all it took to be self-reliant?
Today, as the nation is saddled with the excesses of covid-19, our government led by President Nana Addo and Dr Bawunia have compounded the already worse situation of the ordinary Ghanaian, it’s workers and businesses by increasing and introducing new taxes that have the propensity to cripple businesses and to reduce the purchasing power of the ordinary Ghanaian worker.
To make matters worse, as a people we can’t complain any longer; our fundamental freedom of speech is silently curtailed and the fear of victimization has taken over the system. The vociferousness of the Ghanaian worker has been fainted with fear.
In the midst of all these, there is energy crisis without a schedule for domestic and industry players to plan their daily, weekly and monthly agenda. Our water bodies are more dangerous than poison because government officials and party executives have destroyed them through the galamsey which was outlawed by same government. Ordinary people now queue in search of water in gutters while about half of our land is made up of water.
As the people feel the hardship, the government through their propaganda handles and some rented press keep embellishing our story and situations, and forcing us to swallow that as our real feelings.
What is more paradoxical than this? A situation where we sit on plenty while we go thirsty and hungry; a situation where our government has borrowed more but yet we the people can’t see and feel the corresponding investments in the real sector; a situation where we are hungry yet we are told to feel satisfied; a situation where we have voices but cannot speak; a situation where we have genuine cases but can’t express same.
These are the paradoxes we are currently dealing with as a people in Ghana.
Allah have mercy on Ghana.
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