B/A civil servants threaten to go on strike

Sunyani, Aug 10, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Regional branch of the Ghana Civil Servants Association on Thursday threatened to join the nation wide industrial action if nothing was heard from the government by next Tuesday, August 15 about their salary structure.

At a forum in Sunyani more than 100 members of the association who wore red armbands said their action was devoid of partisan politics "but rather a fight for our rights as trade unionists".


They explained that the conditions of service of civil servants had been undermined for a long period, thus the need for them to register their grievances to the government for better remuneration. The members noted that government "is a listening one" and expressed optimism that their voices would be heard.


They appealed to the government to, as a matter of urgency, raise their salary levels to be correspondent with their counterparts at other state institutions.


Mr. George Yelkure Dorsah, Regional chairman of the association, advised the members to unite and fight for a common purpose to help raise their living standards.

He urged them to eschew partisan politicking in the course of their duties.


In an open forum, Mrs. Grace Amoako, Chief Executive Officer at the Regional Coordinating Council, cautioned about redeployment and dismissals meted to some civil servants about 20 years ago when they embarked on a similar industrial action.


Reacting to that, Mr. Asante Asubonteng, Regional Secretary of the association, explained that the issue of redeployment and dismissals happened during the revolution and gave the assurance that in the current democratic dispensation, a registered trade unionist has the mandate to fight for his or her rights in the discharge of his or her duties.