The 12th Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU)-Ghana opened in Accra yesterday with a call on employers to prioritise the welfare and conditions of service of work­ers to boost productivity.

The Secretary-General of ICU-Ghana, Mr Morgan Ayawine, who made the call, said true productivity did not come merely from capital injection or rigid oversight, but from empowering workers mentally, physically and emotionally.

Mr Morgan Ayawine and Dr Rashid Pelpuo (middle) with some executives and delegates at the conference Photo: Seth Osabukle

“We must invest in their growth, ensure fair and transparent promotion systems, and cultivate opportunities at all levels in fulfilment of government’s reset agenda,” he stressed.

The two-day conference, starting from August 20 to 21, on the theme “Enhancing Productivity at the Workplace; The Role of Social Partners,” will take stock of the Union’s progress, outline strategies for growth and elect new leaders to steer its affairs for the next four years.

Welcoming delegates, Mr Ayawine de­scribed the meeting as “a pivotal moment in our democratic process, a space to reflect, refocus and renew.”

He said the ICU remained the largest heterogeneous trade union in Ghana, with members in over 800 organisations across banking, commerce, hospitality, agriculture, mining, health, insurance, oil and gas, public corporations and the informal economy.

The Union, he added, was affiliated to three international trade union federations— UNI Global Union, Industrial Global Union and the International Union of Food and Allied Workers (IUF)—which offered platforms for international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Mr Ayawine paid glowing tribute to two past leaders of ICU-Ghana, Mr B.T. Bar­timeus, the Union’s first General Secretary (1960–1963), and Mr Napoleon D.K. Kpoh, who served from 1991 to 2007 and spear­headed the construction of the Union’s seven-storey headquarters, ICU House, in Kokomlemle.

Reflecting on his stewardship since assuming office in August 2021, Mr Ayaw­ine who is the 18th General Secretary of ICU-Ghana, said the Union had recovered from the ravages of COVID-19 by expand­ing membership and onboarding senior staff of institutions such as the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Cocoa Marketing Company, Quality Control Company, and The Bank Hospital.

He said ICU had also chalked up notable legal victories, including securing unioni­sation rights at the Akosombo Industrial Company Ltd and winning compensation for wrongfully terminated workers at SONO Ghana Ltd (PINORA).

On interventions, Mr Ayawine noted that the Union had supported the National Investment Bank, Agricultural Development Bank, Trust Hospital, Golden Beach Hotels and VALCO, and was pursuing similar ef­forts in the cocoa and textile sectors.

He urged the government to take bold steps to revive distressed State-Owned En­terprises (SOEs) including the New Times Corporation, Neoplan Ghana Limited, Produce Buying Company (PBC) PLC, Cocoa Processing Company, ALUWORKS, Volta Star Textiles Ltd, Akosombo Indus­trial Company Ltd, Graphic Communica­tions Group Ltd and the Pwalugu Tomato Factory. The Minister of Jobs, Labour and Employment, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, has called for stronger collaboration among workers, employers, and government to boost productivity and accelerate national development.

He said productivity was the backbone of every successful economy and must be pur­sued collectively by labour partners through open communication, mutual respect, and trust.

Delivering the keynote address, the Min­ister of Jobs, Labour and Employment, Dr Rashid Pelpuo said harmonious workplaces fostered innovation, creativity, and efficiency, which were crucial for building a resilient and sustainable economy.

The two-day programme, on the theme “Enhancing Productivity at the Workplace: The Role of Social Partners”, is expected to take stock of the Union’s progress, outline strategies for growth, and elect new leaders to steer its affairs for the next four years.

The Minister commended ICU-Ghana for decades of commitment to improv­ing workers’ welfare and promoting social dialogue. He urged employers to provide fair wages, training opportunities, and conducive working conditions to motivate employees and boost morale.