Government is sympathetic to civil servants agitations

Sunyani (B/A), March 2, GNA- Dr. Alex Glover-Quartey, Head of the Civil Service on Tuesday said in Sunyani that the Government was sympathetic to agitations by civil servants for the enhancement of gratuity and pension benefits.

He said he was also a sympathizer of their agitation and had presented their concern to the government.

Dr. Glover-Quartey was addressing the opening of the 2003 three-day meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Civil Servants Association (CSA) of Ghana.

The theme for the meeting is "Organized Labour Collaborating with Government for a Peaceful Industrial Atmosphere - The Civil Servants Association (Ghana)"

The head of the civil service noted that for the past three years public servants, including civil servants and staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES) had clamoured for the restoration of the Cap 30 Pension Scheme "because benefits under the SSNIT Pension Scheme have been found to be far inferior".

Dr Glover-Quartey recalled the abolition of Cap 30 under the Supreme Military Council (SMC) regime when a decree (SMC Decree 8) was passed, using January 1, 1972 as the cut-off date for the de-application of Cap 30 to civil and other public servants and their compulsory placement under the SSNIT Scheme.

He urged civil servants to direct their efforts towards the securing of a pension scheme, which would be similar or equal to Cap 30 and not solely for Cap 30.

"As a father I wish to urge that rather than clamour in uncompromising fashion for a wholesale return to Cap 30, civil servants should direct their efforts towards the securing of a pension scheme, which is similar or equal to Cap 30 and not solely for Cap 30".

Dr Glover-Quartey said he was distressed and saddened by "unfortunate developments" between the leadership of the Association and some civil servants some of whom, he said described themselves as "concerned" civil servants and appealed to the leadership of the Association to give a serious thought to complaints and concerns of the rank and file.

Mr. George Dorsaah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Chairman of CSA expressed dissatisfaction with disparities in government rent deductions of officials in government quarters and bungalows.

"Some workers who are still occupying such residential accommodation are paying rent based on 1992 salaries, whilst others are paying the same percentage based on current salaries", he said.

Mr. Dorsaah announced that over the years the regional leadership of the Association had initiated moves to establish a health insurance scheme for its members and their dependants.

To this end, a committee has been tasked to develop a constitution for the proposed scheme by the middle of March for the consideration of members and subsequent promulgation.

He announced: "I want to mention that barring any un-anticipated situation, the scheme will take off latest by July this year".

Mr. Dorsaah noted that the regional association was not happy about the re-introduction of salary disparities some years after the introduction of the Ghana Universal Salary Structure.

He complained about promotions in the Service, saying while their counterparts in some institutions were given automatic promotions after serving a specific number of years on their grades, "we in the civil service are denied such a facility".

Mr. Dorsaah appealed to the government to seriously put all civil servants on Pension Cap 30 without further delay to ensure better living conditions for members after pension.

He questioned the rationale behind a section of Ghanaian workers benefiting from Cap 30 at the expense of others and appealed to the government to restore that facility.