President John Dramani Mahama has called for a new social contract between government, labour, and citizens, based on fairness, productivity, and mutual respect, to drive genuine reform and strengthen public service delivery across Africa.
He emphasised that real transformation in governance and service delivery could only be achieved through collaboration with organised labour rather than by imposing reforms from the top.
Speaking at the opening of the 14th African Regional Conference of Public Services International (PSI) in Accra, President Mahama highlighted that Africa’s public services are under enormous strain from debt, austerity, climate shocks, and the growing commercialisation of essential services such as health, education, and water.
“We must resist the trend of treating public services as commodities. When healthcare becomes a privilege, when education becomes a luxury, and when clean water is unavailable, we strip our people of their dignity,” he stated.
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The four-day conference, themed “Quality Public Services for Dignity,” brought together public service unions, labour leaders, policymakers, and civil society from Africa and the Middle East to deliberate on building resilient, equitable, and people-centred public systems in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
President Mahama emphasised that public service is not an act of charity but a fundamental human right and the cornerstone of inclusive growth and social justice. He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to investing in the welfare and training of public servants, while promoting gender equality and inclusion.
“Ghana has passed the Affirmative Action Act, which enjoins us to achieve 30 per cent appointments of women to public offices by the end of 2025, 35 per cent by 2026, and 50 per cent by 2030,” he noted.
In her address, the President of Public Services International, Ms. Britta Lejon, commended Ghana for hosting the conference and highlighted that public sector workers are the backbone of societies, often performing their duties under immense pressure from exploitation, austerity, and staff shortages.
She warned that anti-union laws, unpaid wages, and precarious employment had eroded labour protections across Africa and the Middle East, and that authoritarian regimes were increasingly targeting unions to weaken democratic institutions. Ms. Lejon urged African governments to create fiscal space for investment in welfare, secure jobs, and climate adaptation, stressing that a just transition to a low-carbon economy must protect vulnerable populations.
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Dr. Isaac Bampoe Addo, Executive Secretary of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), also highlighted that neutrality, anonymity, and professionalism in the public service are essential pillars of modern democracy. He called for harmony between political leadership and the civil service to ensure effective policy implementation and national development.