President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has touted that his Government succeeded in protecting the jobs and income of public sector employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He shared that his Government was committed to protecting jobs even when private companies were either laying off workers or reducing wages.

In the first State of the Nation Address of his second term, the President expressed: “According to the COVID-19 business tracker survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Survey, in collaboration with UNDP and the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to job losses with many Ghanaian businesses and firms being forced to reduce staff hours, cut wages and in some cases lay off workers.

This survey again showed that about 770,000 workers had their wages reduced and about 42,000 employees were laid off during the three weeks of partial lockdown in the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi areas.

The government however succeeded in protecting the jobs and incomes of all public sector employees”.

The President noted that even though the effect of the pandemic has impacted heavily on the economy, his Government has been able to find the resources to cushion the impact on the economy.

President Akufo-Addo delivered the first State of the Nation Address of his second term in office today. The President briefed the nation on the present state of the various sectors of the economy following his first term in office.

By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah