Accra, Feb. 24, GNA - The National Tripartite Committee (NTC) on Thursday announced a 20.5 per cent increase in the national daily minimum wage with effect from March 1, 2005.

A communiqu=E9 signed by representatives of the Government, Employers and Labour said at the conclusion of their consultations on Thursday, it was agreed that the national minimum wage be raised from 11,200 cedis to 13,500 cedis.

"Any institution, organisation or establishment whose daily minimum wage falls below the new National Daily Minimum Wage should adjust accordingly."

The communiqu=E9 said the wage component of some CBAs, which had not been negotiated, might be brought forward based on modalities to be determined jointly by the Ghana Employers' Association (GEA) and Trades Union Congress (TUC).

The communiqu=E9 was signed by Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment for the Government; Ms Joyce Aryee, Vice President of the GEA, for Employers and Mr Kwasi Adu-Amankwa, Secretary-General of the TUC for Organised Labour.

The communiqu=E9 said in agreeing to the national minimum wage, the NTC affirmed its commitment to establish parameters for determining a living wage; accelerate the process of computing the Producer Price Index being undertaken by the Ghana Statistical Service and to develop productivity measurement as an essential element for achieving the living wage.

It said the NTC further agreed that the Government should take serious steps to improve the public transport system to reduce the pressure on workers, provide business support incentives to help sustain the growth of industry and establish an effective consumer credit system for workers.

The tax threshold and tax bands should be reviewed to mitigate the impact on business and incomes of workers, the communiqu=E9 said.