THE Manya Krobo Traditional Council has expressed grave concern over the lack of transparency on the part of the Many a Krobo District Assembly in the disbursement of a GH¢100,000 conveyance levy it collected as tolls from heavy trucks a year and a half ago.
It has, therefore, appealed to the government to help unravel the mystery surrounding the use of the money by the assembly.
The acting President of the council, Nene Sasraku IV, who made the appeal, said “the assembly’ non-transparent attitude has brought the respect for chiefs to the lowest ebb, as our subjects are accusing us of sharing the money among ourselves”.
Nene Sasraku was speaking during a durbar of the chiefs and people, including the various heads of departments in the area, in honour of the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, at Odumase- Krobo.
He said about one and a half years ago the traditional council initiated the collection of conveyance fees from heavy trucks plying Odugblase as part of efforts to raise revenue to boost the development of the district, noting that the assembly had spent over GH¢100,000 without having anything to show for it.
On development, the acting President of the council pointed out that the district was beset with several challenges, including deplorable roads due to heavy trucks conveying limestone from Odugblase to Tema and Takoradi, as well as inadequate water supply for the people.
Reacting to the concerns of the council, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo gave the assurance that he would institute a full investigation into the use of the GH¢100,000 conveyance fees by the district assembly.
“I am prepared, as the regional minister, to investigate this allegation to the bottom to restore the good working relationship between the assembly and the traditional authority,” he assured them.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo urged the assembly to ensure transparency and accountability in the disbursement of its common fund, which he indicated must be utilised to put up people-centred projects that would befit the status of the area.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
AFRAM PUBLICATIONS DONATES TO SUHUM CNC (PAGE 20)
THE Afram Publications Ghana Limited has donated assorted educational materials worth GH¢500 and a cheque for GH¢1,000 to the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District secretariat of the Centre for National Culture (CNC).
The items, comprising textbooks for English, Mathematics and Twi as well as several novels, would be given out as prizes to basic schools which would take part in a quiz competition to be organised by the CNC in the district.
The donation was in response to an appeal the CNC made to the company to help inculcate reading habit into pupils of both private and public basic schools in the Suhum town.
Presenting the items, the Eastern Regional Marketing Officer of the Afram Publications, Mr Adamu Fuseini, expressed the delight of his outfit to be associated with efforts at encouraging schoolchildren in the area to develop reading habit.
He pledged the commitment of Afram Publications to provide free educational materials annually to some of the basic schools in the area to raise the academic performance of the beneficiary pupils.
The Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District Officer of the CNC, Mr Patrick Adjeitey, who received the items, thanked the donor for the gift.
He stated that since the libraries of most basic schools in the area lacked essential reading materials, most of the pupils had taken to bad habits such as smoking, drinking and attending video centres during school hours.
According to Mr Adjeitey, such unfortunate situation had contributed to the poor academic performance of some of the basic schools in the area.
The items, comprising textbooks for English, Mathematics and Twi as well as several novels, would be given out as prizes to basic schools which would take part in a quiz competition to be organised by the CNC in the district.
The donation was in response to an appeal the CNC made to the company to help inculcate reading habit into pupils of both private and public basic schools in the Suhum town.
Presenting the items, the Eastern Regional Marketing Officer of the Afram Publications, Mr Adamu Fuseini, expressed the delight of his outfit to be associated with efforts at encouraging schoolchildren in the area to develop reading habit.
He pledged the commitment of Afram Publications to provide free educational materials annually to some of the basic schools in the area to raise the academic performance of the beneficiary pupils.
The Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District Officer of the CNC, Mr Patrick Adjeitey, who received the items, thanked the donor for the gift.
He stated that since the libraries of most basic schools in the area lacked essential reading materials, most of the pupils had taken to bad habits such as smoking, drinking and attending video centres during school hours.
According to Mr Adjeitey, such unfortunate situation had contributed to the poor academic performance of some of the basic schools in the area.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
DON'T BE OBSESSED WITH MATERIAL WEALTH (SPREAD)
THE Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has called on Ghanaians, especially politicians, to do away with the culture of obsession with material wealth that has reared its ugly head in society in recent times.
“As humans, how many days will we spend on this earth that we should worry so much over the possession of material wealth, which we will never take away with us should death befall us?” he quizzed.
Speaking when the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, accompanied by the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP George Anko-Bill, paid a courtesy call on him and his council of elders at his palace at Kyebi on Wednesday, the Okyenhene stated that it was time Ghanaians collectively resolved to do away with that culture if they should see any meaningful development.
He noted that Ghanaians, mainly politicians, had nowadays allowed themselves to be taken over by the mentality of material possession, inducing them to put their personal interest ahead of that of the masses, most of whom he said had been subjected to misery and poverty over the years.
Using himself as an example, Osagyefo Ofori Panin noted that the cloths and rings that he wore as a prominent traditional leader would be in vain if he failed to provide his people hope for the future.
“As a traditional leader, my only interest is that after 10 years of my reign I should proudly say that the best legacy I have given to my people is hope for the future and not the cloths and rings I wear today,” he explained.
He, therefore, stressed the need for leaders to be generational thinkers by focusing their attention on providing the basic necessities of life such as potable water and schools for their people, as well as implementing environmentally-friendly policies that would preserve the environment for posterity.
He called for effective decentralisation to enable every district in the country to obtain the necessary resources to run its affairs to improve the living standards of the people.
For his part, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said since the elections were over, Ghanaians must strive to put aside their political differences to enable them to work together for the good of the country.
He also pledged to work closely with all traditional authorities to bring meaningful development to the region.
“As humans, how many days will we spend on this earth that we should worry so much over the possession of material wealth, which we will never take away with us should death befall us?” he quizzed.
Speaking when the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, accompanied by the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP George Anko-Bill, paid a courtesy call on him and his council of elders at his palace at Kyebi on Wednesday, the Okyenhene stated that it was time Ghanaians collectively resolved to do away with that culture if they should see any meaningful development.
He noted that Ghanaians, mainly politicians, had nowadays allowed themselves to be taken over by the mentality of material possession, inducing them to put their personal interest ahead of that of the masses, most of whom he said had been subjected to misery and poverty over the years.
Using himself as an example, Osagyefo Ofori Panin noted that the cloths and rings that he wore as a prominent traditional leader would be in vain if he failed to provide his people hope for the future.
“As a traditional leader, my only interest is that after 10 years of my reign I should proudly say that the best legacy I have given to my people is hope for the future and not the cloths and rings I wear today,” he explained.
He, therefore, stressed the need for leaders to be generational thinkers by focusing their attention on providing the basic necessities of life such as potable water and schools for their people, as well as implementing environmentally-friendly policies that would preserve the environment for posterity.
He called for effective decentralisation to enable every district in the country to obtain the necessary resources to run its affairs to improve the living standards of the people.
For his part, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said since the elections were over, Ghanaians must strive to put aside their political differences to enable them to work together for the good of the country.
He also pledged to work closely with all traditional authorities to bring meaningful development to the region.
DEVELOP ADMISSION DISPENSATION...for students from less-endowed schools (PAGE 11)
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has called on private universities in the country to develop admission dispensation that would be more favourable to students from less-endowed senior high schools (SHS).
That, he said, would create equal access to tertiary education for such students to enable them to develop their potential to be useful to society.
“Students from most of the local SHSs with poor infrastructure and the needed teaching and learning materials may not obtain the requisite grades but could equally compete academically with their counterparts in the well-endowed schools when given a chance”, Mr Ampofo stated.
Speaking at the first annual Conference of Heads of Private Universities (CHPUG) at Koforidua, the Minister said they had all seen students from poor schools in rural communities who had excelled better than their colleagues from privileged schools in urban areas.
The event, which was on the theme, “Private university education - complementing government’s effort in education,” was attended by all heads of private universities across the country and was used to discuss challenges facing members of CHPUG and to discuss the way forward.
The Regional Minister said since quality education was the best legacy every modern society could bequeath to its youth to enable them to become useful citizens, every effort should be made to make tertiary education accessible to all.
He, however, indicated that while majority of students from well-endowed schools always stood a better chance of gaining easy access to tertiary institutions, their counterparts from the poorly-resourced schools, mostly in rural areas, were disadvantaged.
To address this disparity, Mr Ampofo called for collaboration among all stakeholders, particularly the members of the CHPUG and the government, to address such problems.
“We can collectively achieve this challenge and make university institutions the best place where quality education can be obtained by all,” he stressed.
As part of support for private universities, Mr Ampofo reiterated the government’s readiness to take a second look at the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), to consider all stakeholders, including private universities.
“Since your role as universities is complementary to the government’s commitment to enhancing the delivery of quality tertiary education in the country, we will see how best to extend the GETFund to you,” he assured.
The Regional Minister also expressed concern about the poor management of waste and urged the universities to introduce environmental and sanitation programmes that could solve the sanitation problems facing the country.
The President of CHPUG, Dr Samuel H. Donkor, called on the government to extend the GETFund to private universities to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the delivery of quality tertiary education in the country.
That, he said, would create equal access to tertiary education for such students to enable them to develop their potential to be useful to society.
“Students from most of the local SHSs with poor infrastructure and the needed teaching and learning materials may not obtain the requisite grades but could equally compete academically with their counterparts in the well-endowed schools when given a chance”, Mr Ampofo stated.
Speaking at the first annual Conference of Heads of Private Universities (CHPUG) at Koforidua, the Minister said they had all seen students from poor schools in rural communities who had excelled better than their colleagues from privileged schools in urban areas.
The event, which was on the theme, “Private university education - complementing government’s effort in education,” was attended by all heads of private universities across the country and was used to discuss challenges facing members of CHPUG and to discuss the way forward.
The Regional Minister said since quality education was the best legacy every modern society could bequeath to its youth to enable them to become useful citizens, every effort should be made to make tertiary education accessible to all.
He, however, indicated that while majority of students from well-endowed schools always stood a better chance of gaining easy access to tertiary institutions, their counterparts from the poorly-resourced schools, mostly in rural areas, were disadvantaged.
To address this disparity, Mr Ampofo called for collaboration among all stakeholders, particularly the members of the CHPUG and the government, to address such problems.
“We can collectively achieve this challenge and make university institutions the best place where quality education can be obtained by all,” he stressed.
As part of support for private universities, Mr Ampofo reiterated the government’s readiness to take a second look at the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), to consider all stakeholders, including private universities.
“Since your role as universities is complementary to the government’s commitment to enhancing the delivery of quality tertiary education in the country, we will see how best to extend the GETFund to you,” he assured.
The Regional Minister also expressed concern about the poor management of waste and urged the universities to introduce environmental and sanitation programmes that could solve the sanitation problems facing the country.
The President of CHPUG, Dr Samuel H. Donkor, called on the government to extend the GETFund to private universities to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the delivery of quality tertiary education in the country.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
NO POLITICS OVER ROAD ACCIDENTS (PAGE 15)
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has appealed to Ghanaians to refrain from politicising the recent increase in the carnage on the country’s roads.
He said a section of the society were politicising the issue as a price the country was paying for the National Democratic Congress’s use of juju for their victory in the 2008 general election.
The Regional Minister said lately Ghanaians had become fond of playing politics with pertinent national issues, which included the recent carnage on the roads, thus switching attention from instituting effectives measures that could help curb road accidents.
Speaking at the launch of the Easter Road Safety campaign at Nkawkaw on Tuesday, Mr Ampofo said “we should rather channel our determined resolve on educating our drivers and enforcing the law so as to stop the accidents”.
“Why should we, as a nation, associate recklessness on the part of drivers who over speed, do wrongful overtaking, abuse alcohol, do not engage in regular checks on their vehicles on a daily basis and are even prepared to bribe the police to overlook such shortcomings, on politics?” Mr Ampofo asked.
Addressing members of the various transport unions, traditional authorities and heads of departments in the Kwahu West District, he said Ghanaians must ensure that efforts being directed at resolving the various factors contributing to the accidents were not undermined.
The meeting formed part of efforts by the Eastern Regional Police Command and other stakeholders in the transport industry to educate commercial drivers on road safety and regulations to ensure sanity on the roads in the region.
The stakeholders are the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU), Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the various transport unions.
He indicated that recklessness on the part of motorists and other factors such as drink-driving, wrongful overtaking and speeding, as well as fatigue and the deplorable state of the roads were the major causes of accidents
He, therefore, stressed the need for the rigid enforcement of regulations and laws to check the conduct of drivers as part of measures to curb the carnage of the roads.
Mr Ampofo also called on the law enforcement agencies to be more professional in the discharge of their duties, since any lapse on their part could give drivers the perception that they could always get away with their wrongdoing by offering money to policemen on the roads.
“Together, we must all help to stop over- familiarisation with law enforcement agencies by motorists who think they can bribe the police officers and get away without facing the rigours of the law,” he said.
“A police officer who enforces the law is a best friend of the drivers than the one who collects money and drinks with them,” Mr Ampofo added.
Other personalities who spoke during the event were DCOP George Anko-Bill, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, who is also the Chairman of the Eastern Regional Road Safety Commission, and Mr Stephen Anokye, the Eastern Regional Manager of the NRSC.
He said a section of the society were politicising the issue as a price the country was paying for the National Democratic Congress’s use of juju for their victory in the 2008 general election.
The Regional Minister said lately Ghanaians had become fond of playing politics with pertinent national issues, which included the recent carnage on the roads, thus switching attention from instituting effectives measures that could help curb road accidents.
Speaking at the launch of the Easter Road Safety campaign at Nkawkaw on Tuesday, Mr Ampofo said “we should rather channel our determined resolve on educating our drivers and enforcing the law so as to stop the accidents”.
“Why should we, as a nation, associate recklessness on the part of drivers who over speed, do wrongful overtaking, abuse alcohol, do not engage in regular checks on their vehicles on a daily basis and are even prepared to bribe the police to overlook such shortcomings, on politics?” Mr Ampofo asked.
Addressing members of the various transport unions, traditional authorities and heads of departments in the Kwahu West District, he said Ghanaians must ensure that efforts being directed at resolving the various factors contributing to the accidents were not undermined.
The meeting formed part of efforts by the Eastern Regional Police Command and other stakeholders in the transport industry to educate commercial drivers on road safety and regulations to ensure sanity on the roads in the region.
The stakeholders are the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU), Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the various transport unions.
He indicated that recklessness on the part of motorists and other factors such as drink-driving, wrongful overtaking and speeding, as well as fatigue and the deplorable state of the roads were the major causes of accidents
He, therefore, stressed the need for the rigid enforcement of regulations and laws to check the conduct of drivers as part of measures to curb the carnage of the roads.
Mr Ampofo also called on the law enforcement agencies to be more professional in the discharge of their duties, since any lapse on their part could give drivers the perception that they could always get away with their wrongdoing by offering money to policemen on the roads.
“Together, we must all help to stop over- familiarisation with law enforcement agencies by motorists who think they can bribe the police officers and get away without facing the rigours of the law,” he said.
“A police officer who enforces the law is a best friend of the drivers than the one who collects money and drinks with them,” Mr Ampofo added.
Other personalities who spoke during the event were DCOP George Anko-Bill, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, who is also the Chairman of the Eastern Regional Road Safety Commission, and Mr Stephen Anokye, the Eastern Regional Manager of the NRSC.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
EXHIBIT DISCIPLINE IN ALL SPHERES OF LIFE (PAGE 40)
THE Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Ken A. Attafuah, has advised students to exhibit discipline in all spheres of their lives to reverse the gross indiscipline that had eaten into the moral fibre of society.
He also urged them to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded them by the high school education to develop their aptitudes and skills, which would be required of them as future leaders.
“To stay focused and determined to achieve your God-given potentials, you must avoid the practices of occultism, “sakawa”, 491, computer fraud, drug experimentation and drug trafficking, which are all detrimental to your personal development,” Prof. Attafuah stressed.
Speaking at the 30th anniversary of the Osino Presbyterian Senior High School (SHS) in the Eastern Region over the weekend, Prof. Attafuah reminded students that “your discipline will be a most prized asset as Ghana enters an era of oil drilling, oil exploitation and oil-generated wealth”.
He was speaking on the topic,“Discipline: A road map for future leaders”.
Prof. Attafuah stated that one of the greatest causes of the country’s underdevelopment was indiscipline at both individual and collective levels in society.
He particularly attributed the indiscipline among the youth to be largely a reflection of the indiscipline among the adults, a situation which he said was gradually undermining the country’s progress.
“A reflection of the indiscipline among us is the endless carnage on our roads, environmental degradation, reckless urban development planning, electoral and examination malpractice, falsification of examination results that undermine the integrity of our educational qualifications and the presumption of certified competence,” he stated.
Prof. Attafuah, therefore, reminded the youth of the huge role expected of them to help create a disciplined and lawful society, where they could grow up to fully develop their potentials to be useful to themselves and society.
“My dear students, Ghana looks up to you for a vibrant and visionary leadership in improving the tone of discipline in our country,” he said, adding that “if we are to combat indiscipline at all levels in society, we must be committed to the principles of natural justice, human rights, taking personal responsibility for our actions and building a strong personal character”.
On students agitation, Prof. Attafuah stated that lack of mutual trust and respect, mis-governance, repression of students concerns by school authorities had often resulted in avoidable students disturbances, demonstrations, vandalism and lawlessness, as well as poor student performance.
He, therefore, advised school authorities to adopt participatory methods of governance and show sincere evidence of addressing students’ concerns.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said since the socio-economic development of every nation depended largely on the level of education of its citizens, the government had made education a high priority on its agenda.
He, therefore, urged the students to concentrate on their books and shun social vices that could be detrimental to their personal development.
On HIV/AIDS, Mr Ampofo cautioned the youth to avoid lifestyles that could predispose them to the pandemic, stressing that “as students, the best way to avoid the disease is through abstinence and shunning the bad company”.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Kwadwo A. Sakyi, appealed to the government to help complete an 800-seater capacity assembly hall block, a four-unit science laboratory complex and a computer science laboratory to enhance teaching and learning.
He also urged them to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded them by the high school education to develop their aptitudes and skills, which would be required of them as future leaders.
“To stay focused and determined to achieve your God-given potentials, you must avoid the practices of occultism, “sakawa”, 491, computer fraud, drug experimentation and drug trafficking, which are all detrimental to your personal development,” Prof. Attafuah stressed.
Speaking at the 30th anniversary of the Osino Presbyterian Senior High School (SHS) in the Eastern Region over the weekend, Prof. Attafuah reminded students that “your discipline will be a most prized asset as Ghana enters an era of oil drilling, oil exploitation and oil-generated wealth”.
He was speaking on the topic,“Discipline: A road map for future leaders”.
Prof. Attafuah stated that one of the greatest causes of the country’s underdevelopment was indiscipline at both individual and collective levels in society.
He particularly attributed the indiscipline among the youth to be largely a reflection of the indiscipline among the adults, a situation which he said was gradually undermining the country’s progress.
“A reflection of the indiscipline among us is the endless carnage on our roads, environmental degradation, reckless urban development planning, electoral and examination malpractice, falsification of examination results that undermine the integrity of our educational qualifications and the presumption of certified competence,” he stated.
Prof. Attafuah, therefore, reminded the youth of the huge role expected of them to help create a disciplined and lawful society, where they could grow up to fully develop their potentials to be useful to themselves and society.
“My dear students, Ghana looks up to you for a vibrant and visionary leadership in improving the tone of discipline in our country,” he said, adding that “if we are to combat indiscipline at all levels in society, we must be committed to the principles of natural justice, human rights, taking personal responsibility for our actions and building a strong personal character”.
On students agitation, Prof. Attafuah stated that lack of mutual trust and respect, mis-governance, repression of students concerns by school authorities had often resulted in avoidable students disturbances, demonstrations, vandalism and lawlessness, as well as poor student performance.
He, therefore, advised school authorities to adopt participatory methods of governance and show sincere evidence of addressing students’ concerns.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said since the socio-economic development of every nation depended largely on the level of education of its citizens, the government had made education a high priority on its agenda.
He, therefore, urged the students to concentrate on their books and shun social vices that could be detrimental to their personal development.
On HIV/AIDS, Mr Ampofo cautioned the youth to avoid lifestyles that could predispose them to the pandemic, stressing that “as students, the best way to avoid the disease is through abstinence and shunning the bad company”.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Kwadwo A. Sakyi, appealed to the government to help complete an 800-seater capacity assembly hall block, a four-unit science laboratory complex and a computer science laboratory to enhance teaching and learning.
EXPEDITE ACTION ON SALARY NEGOTIATIONS (SPREAD)
THE Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the Ministry of Health and the government to expedite action on the salary negotiations of health workers to avert any possible unrest in the health sector.
It also urged all labour unions to unite in an effort to ensure that issues pertaining to salaries and conditions of service of workers in the country went through the necessary consultative processes, in line with the provisions and tenets of the National Labour Law.
That, according to the association, would ensure that whatever salary structure would be proposed by the government would be thoroughly negotiated, not just with the GMA but all the trade unions representing the labour front in the country.
The President of the GMA, Dr Emmanuel Adom Winful, made the call at a press briefing at the end of the second National Executive Council meeting of the association in Koforidua last Sunday.
“We call on the government to be more proactive in bringing unresolved salary negotiation issues to a speedy conclusion and never wait until near-crisis level before making a move, as has always been the practice, and that we are in no mood to wait or negotiate ad-infinitum,” he stated.
Dr Winful said the salaries of health workers, including doctors, had not been reviewed for the past four years, although all other public sector workers had had their salaries reviewed annually within the period.
“This problem has pertained, in spite of the eroding effects of inflation and in clear breach of our memorandum of understanding with the government,” he stated.
According to him, although negotiations with the government started last year, they failed to reach a conclusion and that three months into 2009, the government had again failed to take concrete steps to address the issue.
On the single spine salary structure (SSSS), Dr Winful indicated that while the association was not in principle against it, “we should ensure that placement on this structure will be based on a comprehensive job evaluation study which, luckily, has been done by consultants appointed by the government”.
He explained that while the GMA, from the onset, was part of the consultative committee established to consider the process, “we do not have any knowledge of the final document for the implementation of the structure”.
“For this reason, we are hopeful that the government will thoroughly consider the relative of salary structures among the various health professionals to ensure that the implementation of the initiative will not be to our disadvantage,” he added.
On the posting of doctors to deprived communities, Dr Winful expressed the GMA’s disappointment at the decision of the Ghana Health Service to punish doctors who allegedly refused posting to rural communities.
“Let us, for the records, state unambiguously that in principle the GMA does not oppose the adoption of a wide range of policies to address the real challenge of inequitable distribution of health workers in the country,” he stated.
He, however, indicated that the inequitable distribution of doctors to rural areas in the country had put doctors who found themselves in such areas at a disadvantage, as they did not have the opportunity to upgrade themselves, compared to their colleagues serving in the various teaching hospitals.
He also added that with the current system, newly qualified doctors who ought to be perfecting their skills under more experienced senior colleagues many a time found themselves posted to facilities where there was no one to supervise them or to consult in times of difficulties.
It also urged all labour unions to unite in an effort to ensure that issues pertaining to salaries and conditions of service of workers in the country went through the necessary consultative processes, in line with the provisions and tenets of the National Labour Law.
That, according to the association, would ensure that whatever salary structure would be proposed by the government would be thoroughly negotiated, not just with the GMA but all the trade unions representing the labour front in the country.
The President of the GMA, Dr Emmanuel Adom Winful, made the call at a press briefing at the end of the second National Executive Council meeting of the association in Koforidua last Sunday.
“We call on the government to be more proactive in bringing unresolved salary negotiation issues to a speedy conclusion and never wait until near-crisis level before making a move, as has always been the practice, and that we are in no mood to wait or negotiate ad-infinitum,” he stated.
Dr Winful said the salaries of health workers, including doctors, had not been reviewed for the past four years, although all other public sector workers had had their salaries reviewed annually within the period.
“This problem has pertained, in spite of the eroding effects of inflation and in clear breach of our memorandum of understanding with the government,” he stated.
According to him, although negotiations with the government started last year, they failed to reach a conclusion and that three months into 2009, the government had again failed to take concrete steps to address the issue.
On the single spine salary structure (SSSS), Dr Winful indicated that while the association was not in principle against it, “we should ensure that placement on this structure will be based on a comprehensive job evaluation study which, luckily, has been done by consultants appointed by the government”.
He explained that while the GMA, from the onset, was part of the consultative committee established to consider the process, “we do not have any knowledge of the final document for the implementation of the structure”.
“For this reason, we are hopeful that the government will thoroughly consider the relative of salary structures among the various health professionals to ensure that the implementation of the initiative will not be to our disadvantage,” he added.
On the posting of doctors to deprived communities, Dr Winful expressed the GMA’s disappointment at the decision of the Ghana Health Service to punish doctors who allegedly refused posting to rural communities.
“Let us, for the records, state unambiguously that in principle the GMA does not oppose the adoption of a wide range of policies to address the real challenge of inequitable distribution of health workers in the country,” he stated.
He, however, indicated that the inequitable distribution of doctors to rural areas in the country had put doctors who found themselves in such areas at a disadvantage, as they did not have the opportunity to upgrade themselves, compared to their colleagues serving in the various teaching hospitals.
He also added that with the current system, newly qualified doctors who ought to be perfecting their skills under more experienced senior colleagues many a time found themselves posted to facilities where there was no one to supervise them or to consult in times of difficulties.
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