The current wage crisis in Ghana reveals a significant disparity between suffering workers and employers, raising pressing concerns about fair pay and economic fairness.
The discussion over fair salaries in Ghana has taken a dramatic turn following a heated remark by Prophet Johnson Adu-Boahen of Christ Revival Baptist Church in Lapaz-Accra.
In a preaching that has since gone viral, he chastised employers who pay their employees less than GHS 1,000 per month or delay pay cheques, calling them as “wicked” and unworthy of honest employment. His statements were both contentious and frank.
“Someone who is exceedingly wicked is someone who attends church but does not pay his employees. If he agrees to pay, starting at 350 cedis. Nothing more than a thousand cedis. “Those people deserved to be robbed.“
While some have criticised his words as harsh, others claim that his indignation reflects the deep-seated economic inequalities that Ghanaian workers suffer.
The Hard Reality: Struggling with Low Wages.
Ghana’s current national minimum wage is GHS 19.97 per day, or GHS 599.10 per month for full-time workers.
With the rising cost of living, this sum is insufficient to meet basic demands, leading many people to rely on side jobs or face financial difficulty.
Should employees take matters into their own hands?
This is where Prophet Adu-Boahen’s remarks get even more contentious. His remark, implying that underpaid workers have the right to retaliate, poses an ethical dilemma.
Is stealing from an unfair employer a form of justice or just another crime?
While stealing is never legally justifiable, the prophet’s remarks reveal a deep resentment among Ghana’s working class.
Many people feel powerless as bosses accumulate money while they battle for basic subsistence.
If wages do not improve, might this frustration lead to a wave of worker rebellion?
