Kojo Oppong Nkrumah: Minority will only join Economic Dialogue if...

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has set a firm condition for its participation in the proposed National Economic Dialogue, demanding the reinstatement of thousands of young workers allegedly dismissed from public sector jobs.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, made this stance clear while speaking on Citi FM on Thursday, in response to President John Dramani Mahama’s call for bipartisan engagement in addressing Ghana’s economic crisis.

The National Economic Dialogue, according to President Mahama, is intended to “evaluate Ghana’s economy and build consensus on key policies” that would drive necessary structural reforms and economic recovery. The initiative is part of the government’s strategy to reset the country’s economic trajectory by fostering collaboration among political stakeholders.

However, Oppong Nkrumah insists that the Minority’s participation is contingent upon the government reversing its decision to lay off public sector employees.

“We are happy to participate in the National Economic Dialogue if the administration will reinstate the thousands of young people that it has sacked from public sector jobs,” he declared.

Expressing his discontent with the government’s actions, he further stated: “You don’t get to sack young people from the jobs that they have been rightly employed to, and say that after you had sacked them, and you are home, you are inviting us to a national economic dialogue. Reinstate them, invite us to a national economic dialogue, and we will participate in it.”

The dismissal of these workers has been a contentious issue, with the Minority alleging political motives behind the move.