NPP flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia met the leadership of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) at the Hall of Trade Unions in Accra on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, to discuss the rising cost of living, a living wage beyond the GH¢21.77 national daily minimum wage, youth unemployment and pensions.
The former Vice President described the engagement as an “open dialogue” and said both sides “agreed to follow up on specifics in subsequent meetings.” Reports said the atmosphere was “cordial, frank and solution-oriented.”
The meeting is part of Dr Bawumia’s ongoing national stakeholder consultations. In recent weeks he has met traders, professional bodies, faith-based organisations, youth groups and private sector players.
The TUC is Ghana’s umbrella labour body, representing thousands of workers in both the public and private sectors.
Bawumia and TUC discuss living wage and cost of living
The cost of living was at the top of the agenda. Discussions focused on how rising prices have reduced the disposable incomes of workers.
The two sides also discussed a sustainable living wage, a pay level that goes beyond the legal minimum and covers the real cost of basic needs.
Issues raised at the Bawumia–TUC meeting
According to reports by Citi Newsroom and MyJoyOnline, the meeting covered:
- Rising cost of living and falling disposable incomes
- A sustainable living wage beyond the minimum wage
- Youth unemployment and limited job openings for young people
- Reforming and strengthening Ghana’s pensions regime
- Inclusion of persons with disabilities at the workplace
- Building an economy able to absorb external shocks to exchange rates, inflation, commodity prices and supply chains
- A possible social contract between government and organised labour
Ghana minimum wage: how the figures compare
The living wage debate comes against the backdrop of the 2026 national daily minimum wage, which took effect on January 1, 2026.
- 2025 national daily minimum wage: GH¢19.97
- 2026 national daily minimum wage: GH¢21.77
- Increase: 9%, announced by the National Tripartite Committee in November 2025
Organised labour has long argued that the minimum wage does not match the cost of living, which is why the push for a “living wage” has gained ground.
Youth unemployment and pensions on the table
Youth unemployment and the lack of job openings for young people were key concerns raised during the talks.
The meeting also looked at reforming the pensions system to ensure that workers retire with dignity, as well as making workplaces more inclusive for persons with disabilities.
What Bawumia said after the TUC meeting
In a Facebook post after the meeting, Dr Bawumia thanked the union: “I am deeply grateful to the TUC leadership and constituent groups for an open dialogue that allows us to tap into their wealth of experience.”
He assured the leadership that their concerns and proposals would feed into his broader economic vision. No direct statement from the TUC leadership had been published at the time of writing.
The engagement comes weeks after Dr Bawumia used the NPP’s national conference to criticise the government’s record, when he listed seven “broken promises” and said galamsey had grown worse.
What it means for Ghanaian workers
For workers, the meeting signals that wages, pensions and the cost of living are set to be central issues in the opposition’s policy agenda.
It also gives organised labour another platform to press its case for pay that reflects the real cost of living, beyond the annual minimum wage review.
What happens next
Both sides agreed to hold follow-up meetings to work out the specifics and develop concrete policy proposals. No dates for those meetings have been announced.
Dr Bawumia is expected to continue his consultations with other stakeholder groups across the country.
QUICK RECAP – Bawumia Meets TUC on Living Wage, Youth Jobs and Pensions as 2026 Minimum Wage Stands at GH¢21.77
- Who: Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, NPP flagbearer, and TUC leadership
- When: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
- Where: Hall of Trade Unions, Accra
- Main issues: Cost of living, living wage, youth jobs, pensions, disability inclusion
- Current minimum wage: GH¢21.77 per day (2026)
- Proposal discussed: A social contract between government and organised labour
- Next step: Follow-up meetings on specifics
FAQs ON: Bawumia Meets TUC on Living Wage, Youth Jobs and Pensions as 2026 Minimum Wage Stands at GH¢21.77
Why did Bawumia meet the TUC?
Dr Bawumia met the TUC as part of his ongoing stakeholder consultations to discuss the cost of living, a living wage, youth unemployment, pensions and disability inclusion.
What is the minimum wage in Ghana in 2026?
Ghana’s national daily minimum wage for 2026 is GH¢21.77, a 9% increase on the 2025 rate of GH¢19.97. It took effect on January 1, 2026.
What is a living wage?
A living wage is pay high enough to cover a worker’s basic needs such as food, housing, transport and healthcare, and is usually higher than the legal minimum wage.
Dr Bawumia’s meeting with the TUC puts the cost of living, a living wage beyond the GH¢21.77 daily minimum, youth jobs and pension reform at the centre of his ongoing consultations, with both sides set to meet again to agree on specific proposals.
Bawumia Meets TUC on Living Wage, Youth Jobs and Pensions as 2026 Minimum Wage Stands at GH¢21.77 [VIDEO]
Dr. Bawumia meets TUC leadership to discuss living wage, jobs and pensions
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— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) October 28, 2026
