It has emerged that urban men in the Western region of Ghana demand the highest minimum salary in Ghana.
The latest Ghana Labour Force Survey Report by the Ghana Statistical Service said the men in the urban localities of the region demand as much as 1,604 cedis a month as pay.
However, urban women in the same region demand the lowest minimum wage in Ghana of 132 cedis.
According to the report, women in the Ashanti region, demand the highest minimum wage per month.
The survey which adopts the relaxed definition of unemployment in Ghana, puts Ghana’s unemployment rate at 11.9 percent as at 2015.
It noted that on the average, the unemployed want a monthly salary of 297.25 cedis. This represents about thirteen percent more compared to the national daily minimum wage of 264 cedis.
Men in the urban locality of the Upper West region were the second highest quoting 687.63 cedis.
The third, fourth and fifth are quoted by the men in Brong Ahafo, Volta and Central regions at 573.29, 573.08 and 507.45 cedis respectively.
Shockingly, the men in the urban areas of the Greater Accra region quoted the 6th highest figure of 225.91 cedis.
However, men in the urban areas of the Eastern region demand the lowest monthly minimum wage of 128.32 cedis.
This is immediately preceded by Northern region, Upper East region and Ashanti region at 160.19, 164.55 and 213. 59 cedis respectively.
Meanwhile unemployed women in the Ashanti region quoted the highest monthly minimum wage of 407.53 cedis.
The second highest was quoted by women in the Volta region at 268.54 cedis.
The third, fourth and fifth were quoted by women in the Brong Ahafo, Upper East and Eastern regions with 215.08, 206.17 and 198.76 cedis respectively.
In sharp contrast, women in urban areas of the Western region demand the lowest monthly minimum wage of 132. 34 cedis.
They are immediately preceded by women in the Upper West, Northern and Central regions with 183. 35, 187.03 and 188 cedis respectively.
Like their male counterparts, women in urban areas of the Greater Accra region emerged at the eighth position with 183.43 cedis.
According to the coordinators of the project, the differences in economic conditions partly accounted for the wage quotations for the respective areas.
Commenting on the development, Labour Analyst Austin Gammey however cautioned that it will be challenging for employers as Ghana’s economy compels businesses to offer lower wages due to high cost of operations.
“How much can an employer afford to pay is based upon his or her income; that will have to be considered and that is why I mentioned trade unions, employers, government will have to take a look at the way we negotiate and engage one another in one way or another.”
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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
