President John Dramani Mahama used this year’s May Day celebration to unveil a sweeping labour-focused economic agenda, pledging to make Ghana’s workforce the cornerstone of national transformation and to tackle systemic unemployment, youth disenfranchisement, and public sector inefficiencies.
Addressing hundreds of workers and union leaders gathered in Accra, President Mahama declared: “No Ghanaian will be left behind in the new economy we are building.”
Targeting Structural Labour Challenges
Mahama announced the formation of a mutually selected ad hoc committee to address deep-rooted issues in Ghana’s pension system, noting that organised labour would be fully represented in developing reform proposals.
His administration, he said, is working to ensure no worker is excluded from the changing industrial landscape. “In partnership with labour unions and employers, we will deepen skills development and retraining programmes so that workers can adapt to the changing needs of industry,” he noted.
A Message to Workers in State-Owned Enterprises
Mahama directly addressed employees of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), urging them to speak out against mismanagement and protect their institutions from collapse.
“You are always the first to be affected by job losses when these institutions collapse. Your enterprise where you work belongs to you,” he told workers, adding: “When things are going wrong, do not be afraid to say so, and as president, I will back and support you to set things right.”
He cited the poor financial state of several SOEs as evidence of misgovernance. “Even companies like Ghana Distilleries, where when I was president they used to pay a little dividend to government, today they also owe,” he said. “The question I ask is; how can you sell alcohol and be in debt? When Ghanaians are happy, we drink alcohol. When we are sad, we drink. When we are not happy, we are not sad, we drink.”
Equitable Development and Decentralisation
Mahama’s vision includes decentralising opportunity and investing in regions long excluded from Ghana’s economic growth.
“It should not be the case that the only real chance at prosperity exists if you live in Accra or Kumasi,” he said. “We will work to bring investment, jobs, and infrastructure to every region of this country, from Wa to Aflao, from Bole to Keta, from Drobo to Enchi.”
He also reaffirmed his government’s commitment to structured, institutionalised engagement with organised labour, stating that the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations would serve as “an active convener of tripartite collaboration” between government, business, and workers. “This is not just about consultation,” Mahama stressed. “It is about co-ownership of the national development agenda.”
On job creation and workforce development, the President noted that initiatives such as the One Million Coders Programme, the Adwumawura Entrepreneurship Initiative, and others are designed to bridge the country’s growing youth unemployment gap, which is identified as a “significant risk to our national stability.”
“These initiatives are not isolated interventions. They are interconnected pillars of a broader vision to build a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready Ghanaian economy,” Mahama said.
Hope, Partnership, and Worker Empowerment
Despite current economic challenges, Mahama assured workers that the path forward includes them, not as bystanders, but as collaborators.
“Whether you’re a teacher in the classroom, a nurse in a rural CHPS compound, a porter in the market, a miner deep in the bowels of the earth, or a digital innovator writing code from your laptop, you matter. Your contribution matters, and your dreams matter to us,” he said.
