Adopt progressive work attitude for accelerated development - President

Accra, May 1, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday exhorted workers to adopt positive work attitudes to accelerate Ghana's development drive.

He said unsatisfactory work attitudes reduced productivity and resulted in macro economic instability of the nation adding that this could derail the gains made by government to place the country on the right path for growth.

President Akufo-Addo made the call in his maiden May Day Address at the National May Day Parade of organised labour at the Black Star Square in Accra.

The theme for this year's programme is: 'Ghana @60; Mobilising for Ghana's Future through the Creation of Decent Jobs.'

The President noted that when efforts were made to improve pay levels without commensurate increase in productivity the results invariably crippled the nation economically and further shrank the size of the formal sector.

'I do not suggest the current pay levels are satisfactory in all sectors of our economy…but I am saying that productivity levels and work attitudes are unsatisfactory in all levels of the economy.

He said workers avoided very carefully any mention of the workplace attitudes that retarded progress.

"I have said it at another forum but I think it bears repeating, we arrive at work late and then spend the first hour in prayer.

"We are clock watchers and leave in the middle of critical work because it is the official closing time. Everything comes to a stop when it rains and we seem to expect the rest of the world also to stop.

"We have no respect for the hours set aside for work, we pray we eat, we visit during working hours. We spend hours chatting on the telephone when customers are waiting to be served, thereby increasing our labour costs.

"We take a week off for every funeral and then wonder why we are not competitive," President Akufo-Addo said.

He called for workers' support and rallied them to stand with government as it worked tirelessly to achieve faster economic progress driven by decent jobs.

The President urged workers to stay focused in the interest of the nation.

GNA

By Ken Sackey, GNA