That attitude to work by many Ghanaian workers; particularly, those in the public sector is highly questionable, and leaves very much to be desired cannot be disputed by many observant Ghanaians, who are concerned with Ghana’s present efforts to achieve optimum economic growth, development and prosperity.
It is highly disheartening to observe that at the present time in Ghana’s Beyond Aid Agenda vision, a lot of Ghanaian workers; both of high and low profiles in the public sector of the economy are exhibiting a lais-sez-faire attitude towards work, which is detrimental to the interest of the country.
These category of Ghanaian workers see and regard the ongoing Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda as a mere slogan, political gimmick and far-fetched to bring any positive results to benefit the country; hence their negative attitude to work.
This is most unfortunate on the part of these unpatriotic and anti-nationalistic Ghanaian workers. They need a change of heart now in the interests of the country.
Once upon a time, there was a revolution in Ghana led by a dare-daring individual in the person of Ft. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings who declared a revolution in Ghana with the intention of conscientising and transforming Ghanaians to work very hard and to eschew all vices, immoralities and corruptible practices, so that Ghana can move forward in development and prosperity.
During Jerry John Rawlings three consecutive turns in the rule of the county, one can say that, Ghanaian working masses were aroused considerably to become more responsible and nationalistic enough in their working attitude in the interests of the country.
One can go on and say that Ghanaian workers were inspired to work very hard in the spirit of the revolution which they understood to be in their interest in the developmental process of the country.
Workers at this point in time in Ghana’s history as a nation realized that they had to work very hard for the survival of the country for economic growth development and prosperity. They supported the revolution because they thought it was to bring a change for the better in their living conditions.
There was evidence of change in attitude to work by the working masses in the country.
Empowered by the overwhelming charisma of Jerry John Rawlings and his sterling leadership they responded positively to the clarion call of hard work and sacrifice in the interests of the country.
The mobilization of Ghanaian workers in the formation of Workers Defence Councils (WDCS) during the revolutionary days of rule of Jerry John Rawlings injected and gingered Ghanaians workers to work hard and to sacrifice because they realized they were part of the decision making process in the affairs of the country, which had been denied them previously
The foregoing is a recapitulation for the benefits of Ghanaian working masses; and the often clarion call for hard work by leadership of the nation to move the country forward in development and prosperity.
The working masses of every country in the world today constitute a formidable force to effect economic growth, development and prosperity. They are therefore indispensable for the achievements of developmental targets set by governments.
Development and prosperity of a country will be slow if her working masses are not active and hard working to support development programmes that are set by government.
Ghana at the present time is regarded as a fast developing country in the world today; and her working masses cannot be toyed with and slighted to assume a lack-histre role in her developmental visions such as the present on going one, Ghana Beyond Aid.
Ghana Trade Union Congress (T.U.C) which is the vanguard of Ghana’s working force must do more conscentization of Ghanaian workers to become proactive and seriously identify themselves with the developmental goals of the country by working very hard and sacrificing to benefit the country.
To this end, Ghanaian workers must shun all forms of apathy, indolence and corruptible practices.
President Nkrumah’s era of the governance of the country saw the establishments of the Trade Union Congress (T.U.C), the Workers Brigade for effective mobilization of Ghanaian workers in Ghana’s developmental programmes of the country.
The annual celebration of 1st May, as workers day in the world including Ghana, is a strong indication of the importance of workers in every country, whose sweat and work contribute greatly to effect economic growth, development and prosperity for their countries.
It is in light of the indispensable role that workers play in the survival, economic growth, development and prosperity of countries that one becomes dismayed and anguished at the lais-sez-faire attitude being displayed by many Ghanaian workers at the present time.
Ghanaian workers at the present time cannot expect Ghana’s progress and development when they are showing apathetic attitude to their work or office they are holding either in the public sector or the private sector of the economy.
For instance, if one pays a visit to the Ministries in Accra, the capital city of Ghana; such as the Ministry of Finance And Economic Planning, Ministry of Food And Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education etc, one is shocked to observe the kind of unpalatable attitude being displayed by workers over there – lateness, irregularity, lack of commitment or sacrifice to work hard, leaving work places and offices for home before the stipulated time of closing, spending a lot of time during working hours outside the premises of work and engaging in idle talks and gossips of high profile government appointees and officials, lotto discussions etc.
If this is the kind of attitude that is being displayed by many workers in the public sector in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, one can imagine what takes place in the other regional capitals, urban and rural areas of the country. One’s guess will be as good as mine!
This negative attitude to work by many Ghanaian workers at the present time is the cause for low productivity and the hitherto low booming and less buoyant economy of Ghana, and the consequent negative effect for the low-paced developmental process of the country at the present time.
Government after government of Ghana had denounced and condemned this negative attitude by many Ghanaian workers; and even followed it up with sanctions, actions to curb this unpalatable attitude; but it appears many Ghanaian workers had been adamant and had not heeded the clarion call to change their negative attitude for the better in the interests of the country.
A critical analysis and evaluation of this hitherto challenging negative attitude on the part of many Ghanaian workers today points to its addressing and solution by frequent intensive country wide education to conscientize Ghanaian workers on why they have to work very hard and to sacrifice to enhance productivity to boast Ghana’s economic growth, development and prosperity.
In my opinion, it appears, this negative attitude to work by many Ghanaian workers is mainly stemming out of ignorance of the consequences of their unpatriotic and unnationalistic attitude. However, this is subjective.
In order to solve this nagging persistent problem in the Ghanaian situation which had been militating against the development and prosperity of the country every government that comes to power must try to prioritize the interests, needs and welfare of workers as effective way of boosting their morale to work very hard and to sacrifice.
To this end, workers conditions of service in terms of wages, salaries and fringe benefits, must be constantly reviewed and improved to suit the economic conditions and challenges that prevails at a time. This should be mainly directed at the public sector of the economy since, this sector is notorious and wanting in output for the growth of the economy.
Government in power must at all times respond positively to the outcry and agitations of workers for better conditions of service. The government must do this with magnimity and generosity to really help workers in order to boost their morale to work very hard.
This will definitely go a long way to enhance productivity and to boost the economy.
“Work And Happiness” was a musical composition composed by the erstwhile Ramblers Dance Band of Ghana during Nkrumah’s era of rule which tremendously inspired Ghanaian working masses to work very hard and to sacrifice for the benefit of the country. And workers did work hard and were happy! This era can be revisited at the present time to make Ghanaian workers to work hard and become happy if the suggestions that had been made in the foregoing of this article are favourably considered and addressed.
In conclusion, I believe in the great potential of present day Ghanaian workers to work very hard, and to sacrifice for the benefit of the country. However, this will solely depend on cordial relationship between government and workers since the two parties must develop mutual respect and love for each other in the developmental process of the country.
By Michael Akenoo, Theatre Critic