Civil Servants appeal for equity in salary structure

Accra, June 29, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional branch of the Civil Servants' Association (CSA) on Thursday appealed to the Government to rectify the placement levels of Civil Servants to ensure equity in the salary structure.

Mr Albert Drovou, Assistant Director of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), who made the appeal at the 7th Quadrennial Delegates' Conference in Accra, noted that this would enhance the smooth operation of the monetisation process.

The Conference under the theme: "Welfare, An Essential Component for Sustainable Self-Development" was to create awareness of the economic potential of workers. It would also to elect new executives and discuss welfare issues of members.

Mr Drovou said the current entry point of a graduate employed into the Civil Service was at Level Nine compared to entry point of Level 14 for graduates into the Ghana Education Service (GES). This, he said, meant that a graduate in the Civil Service had to work for about five years before he could attain the level of his colleague in the GES.

Mr Drovou said though the conditions of service were not too good for Civil Servants, fairness in the salary structure would encourage the workers to give of their best.

Mr James Amissah, Regional Chairman of the Association, said the Civil Service could perform better if it were not marginalized as it had been in recent times.

"It is not fair for the Government to treat some workers with urgency and specialty in terms of better salaries, as if their work is more important than that of others," he said. He urged delegates to reflect critically on the performances of the Association over the past four years and to suggest new ways of improving upon what had already been done. Mr Amissah noted that as the mouthpiece of Civil Servants, the Association should possess the power and respect necessary to assure members of better service delivery and also bring back members, who had left because of poor conditions.

He also called for a more radical approach to the numerous problems of the Civil Service.

Rev Mrs Comfort Adu, Vice President, CSA, reminded the Government of the dangers in trying to please or satisfy certain categories of workers warning that this could create a lot of agitation among others workers.

She reiterated the need for fairness in the sharing of the national cake, saying the Civil Service would continue to play its part in national development no matter the situation.