The Trades Union Congress (TUC), has called on the Minister designate for Employment and Labour Relations to provide the platform for the views of the labour force when he assumes office.

Deputy Secretary General of TUC, Joshua Ansah, asked Ignatius Baffour Awuah, to prioritise the labour issues and “take labour issues very serious”.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Friday, Mr Ansah declared the Union’s support for the Minister designate.

He said the Union would not be quite when the minister was going out of place but would call him to order when the need be.

Mr Ansah described the Employment and Labour Ministry as a key ministry and therefore needed a very competent personality for its management.

“It is a key ministry and if Ghana would actually develop, it depends on the contribution of workers towards the socio-economic development of the country and any serious government would ensure that whoever is put in that ministry is up to the task.”

In terms of competence, Mr Ansah is optimistic the minister designate would be able to deliver due to his vast knowledge in labour issues.

He said the Minister designate had moved through the ranks from District Chief Executive through to Deputy Regional Minister and becoming the Brong- Ahafo Regional Minister during the Kufuor era.

“If there would be peace industrially, it would depend on the relationship that the Minister would bring to bear between his office and our office,” he noted.

Commenting on the increase in number of the ministries from twenty-four to thirty-six, Mr Ansah said it is good move saying that he believes that the President wants people to be in charge of all the issues raised during the campaign season.

He called on Ghanaians to focus more on the outcome of the work of the various ministries especially on the six additionally created ones.

Meanwhile, Mr Ansah has called on the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sternly deal with the issue of corruption because it did not bring any good to the society.

He suggested the need for sole sourcing to be abolished except in an exceptional case, which the 1992 Constitution permitted if the country would get value for money.

“If proper measures are put in place, I don’t see why we should go for sole-sourcing,” Mr Ansah said.

He also called on the President to make the creation of job the hallmark of this government.

He said: “We are waiting for a day where labour in Ghana would come out chest out that we are now having a living wage rather than a minimum wage.”

GNA