“Stability Without Jobs Is Incomplete” — Organised Labour Demands Shift to Growth and Livelihoods at May Day 2026
Ghana’s long-standing focus on macroeconomic stability has come under renewed pressure as Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress Ghana, Joshua Ansah, on behalf of organised labour called for a fundamental reset of economic policy to prioritise jobs and livelihoods.
Speaking at the 2026 May Day celebration, themed ‘Pivoting to Growth, Jobs and Sustainable Livelihoods Beyond Macroeconomic Stability,’ Mr. Ansah argued that stability without tangible improvements in employment and incomes falls short of real progress.
“If it does not create jobs, raise incomes or secure the future, then stability, however important, remains incomplete,” he stated.
Growth Without Jobs
Framing Ghana’s employment crisis, Mr. Ansah pointed to a persistent disconnect between economic growth and job creation. Despite decades of expansion in Gross Domestic Product, averaging about 5.2 percent between 1986 and 2025, many young graduates remain unemployed or underemployed.
He noted that it is not uncommon for graduates to wait five years or more to secure their first job, despite significant investment in education by families and the state.
Quality of Jobs Under Scrutiny
Beyond unemployment, the TUC highlighted the poor quality of jobs available in the economy. Many workers, Mr. Ansah said, earn incomes too low to support decent living standards, lack social security coverage and operate in unsafe conditions.
This has created a labour market where even those employed continue to search for better opportunities, reflecting deep structural weaknesses.
Challenging the Stability Narrative
Mr. Ansah criticised the policy assumption that macroeconomic stability, defined by low inflation, stable exchange rates and positive growth, automatically leads to employment creation.
“That assumption has been proven completely wrong,” he stressed, noting that four decades of stability have not delivered broad-based job growth.
He contrasted this with countries like China, where growth has been deliberately aligned with mass employment and structural transformation.
Call for Transformational Growth
The TUC is advocating a shift toward transformational growth that is anchored in production, industrialisation and value addition.
Mr. Ansah warned that Ghana’s reliance on exporting raw materials cannot generate sufficient decent jobs, urging investment in manufacturing and agro-processing.
“The large volumes of imports mean we are exporting jobs,” he said, adding that Ghana must prioritise producing what it consumes to create employment at scale.
Jobs at the Centre of Policy
Central to the TUC’s message is the need to reposition employment as a core objective of economic policy. Mr. Ansah called for job quality and sustainable livelihoods to become key benchmarks for measuring economic success.
He also urged reforms to support sector diversification and make domestic production more competitive and profitable.
“Ghana needs growth that raises incomes and improves livelihoods, not just stability,” he emphasised.
A Defining Moment
The 2026 May Day theme reflects a broader shift in the national conversation, from maintaining stability to delivering inclusive growth that translates into jobs and improved living standards.
For organised labour, the message is unambiguous. Ghana’s economic model must evolve to ensure that growth works for people, not just the numbers.
