The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has criticised renowned economist, Prof Stephen Adei over his comments that Togolese workers are more productive than Ghanaian counterparts.
In the view of the Director of Labour, Research and Policy Institute at TUC, Dr Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, Prof Adei has a morbid hatred for Ghanaian workers.
“He has a morbid hatred for Ghanaian workers and unions. His claim to fame in Ghana is what he did at GIMPA. He didn’t do those things with Togolese workers.
“There were drivers and security people he worked with when he was there. And the least thing these people expect from him is this kind of comment. Can any government or any employer come and tell us what they have been doing about productivity? Except to perpetually complain that the Ghanaian worker is unproductive without evidence?” he said in an interview on Accra-based Citi TV.
The former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) a few weeks ago highlighted that his research has revealed that Togolese workers demonstrate superior work quality compared to Ghanaians.
According to him, employers often prefer Togolese workers due to their higher productivity levels.
But Dr Otoo who has disagreed with his assertion has questioned if Prof Adei would prefer treatment in Togo or Ghana when faced with a health challenge.
“We recognise there’s a challenge about attitudes to work, we are doing something about it. If you want to help, this is not the way a professor should go. There’s a way that professors can help us address some of the challenges. But they should find a nicer way, collaborative way of saying it.
“When you google Prof Adei, you will not find a single research document he has put there, it’s all about condemnations and castigations of Ghanaian workers. What is the basis to say that a Ghanaian worker is not productive?” Dr Otoo queried.
