Mills Warns Akufo-Addo

… over his reckless statement

… says “NPP should be mindful of their words”

By: Winson V.A. Addotey

The President of the Republic of Ghana has sent a sterling warning to the main

opposition leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to

desist from making incisive tribal sentiment against other tribes in the

country.

President John Evans Atta Mills, who resumed his regional tours on Tuesday, October

11, 2011, with a start of a three-day working visit to some parts of the Greater

Accra Region, cautioned Ghanaians, particularly the NPP leaders to stop making

divisive statements that would further polarise the country for some selfish

elements to take advantage of them.

It world be recalled that Nana Akufo-Addo has been heard many times on

his nationwide listening campaign tours inciting party supporters against others.

Some of the statements were ‘Ye Akan fo’, which literary means we the Akans should

stand up against others.

Another potentially dangerous words that the opposition leader made

secretly to the party members which later became public knowledge was the ‘all die

be die’. The understanding was that he was virtually charging the youth in the NPP

to kill opponents and be killed come 2012 elections so that he would become

President of Ghana.

Despite the huge public condemnations against Nana Akufo-Addo, he has

refused to withdraw those potentially divisive and war mongering statements,

justifying that he was speaking to his tribe men in his region.

Following the NPP leader’s line of thoughts and actions to throw the

country into anarchy even before the 2012 general elections was the NPP Chairman,

Jake Opanka Obetsebi-Lamptey.

The NPP Chairman was on the NPP Oman FM, recently, also inciting the

Akans against other tribes in the country. He said the wars of La Cote d’Ivoire,

where innocent mothers and children were slayed in pool of blood, would visit Ghana

should the Ghanaian electorate deny the NPP flag bearer another electoral victory in

2012 elections.

These were the words of the junkie NPP Chairman, “The Akans in Cote

d’Ivoire are many just like the Akans in Ghana. The violence that erupted in Ivory

Coast was championed by the dominant Akan speaking people, who were fighting for

their convictions, and what happened in the French-speaking country could happen in

Ghana since the Akans here, who are in the majority are likely to adopt the same

strategies if they feel dissatisfied with the upcoming polls.

But President Mills, who is the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed

Forces, replied the Nana Akufo-Addo and Jake that the government would deal

ruthlessly with any disgruntled people who would temper with security of the state.

Parts of the Region, the President has toured would include Tema, Ga West, Ga East,

Ga South, Ledzokuku, Adenta, Ashaiman, Dangme East and West

District/Municipal/Metropolitan Areas.

Some projects President Mills has commissioned included Polo Grounds to open up the

Spintex Road, Amanfrom Community Clinic near Adenta, Taifa-Kwabenya Road and

three-Storey Boy’s Dormitory at Ghanata Senior High School at Dodowa.

The rest were Nungua Polyclinic, Teshie Beach Road, MiDA Project at Mallam Junction,

NHIA Office Complex at Ridge; New Composite Plant at Adjen Kotoku and the Kpone

Landfill Project.

source: The Crsystal Clear Lens

NPP left No ‘Kobo’

…for SSSS implementation

Mills tells doctors

…as he appeals to them to return to Work

President John Mills has said that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced the

Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) but left no money for its implementation which

he continued has been the major cause of difficulties the government is facing as it

tries to satisfy the Ghanaian workers.

He therefore appealed to striking doctors to call off the five-day old strike and

resume to work as government was working within its power to address their

grievances adequately.

He said things have become difficult and urged the agitated doctors to consider the

dying patients at the various hospitals across the country and return to work.

President Mills said this to teaming residents of the Dangbe West yesterday when he

kickoff his three-day official touring of the Greater Accra Region to inspect

ongoing projects of his Better Ghana agenda.

The president in his usual calm and fatherly mood told doctors across the country

that his government is willing and ready to sit with them to find appropriate means

of addressing their grievances once and for all.

The Ghana Medical Association announced a nationwide strike last Friday and has

since vacated posts at all public hospital across the country, except the Northern

Region.

In another development, Health Minister Joseph Yieleh Chireh is seeking the support

of opinion leaders, civil society groups to get striking doctors back on duty,

stating “all must be involved in appealing to the conscience of doctors for them to

return to duty”.

He said whilst the government is committed to implementing the single salary spine

it was not going to collapse the economy by paying unrealistic wages.

Yieleh Chireh said the doctors are not an “island” on their own, charging them to be

responsible in relating to the Ghanaian people.

“The long delay in migrating the health workers to the single spine salary structure

is not in any body’s interest. Again to collapse the economy of Ghana on a salary

scale due to premium determination that will collapse the whole system [will not be

good enough].

“Government itself is ready to talk to them; to let them explain to the people of

Ghana why are they striking?” Have they followed the Labour Act.”

“We are not the direct party in this issue. This scar on the conscience of health

workers and all of us cannot be a matter for only the health ministry. It is an act

that we all as Ghanaians must appeal to the conscience of doctors.

“…We are asking doctors to act in their own interest and responsibly to the people

of Ghana. They are not an island. No!” And as an essential service, to go on strike

they must follow a laid down procedure.

He appealed to the doctors to return to the hospitals.

He said government is doing all it can to get the doctors back to work. But in the

mean time the civil society groups can help in appealing to the conscience of

doctors for them to return to work.

But the Ghana Medical Association is unmoved by the rallying cry of the ministry.

The Assistant General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Frank

Serebuor told Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh the minister must rather appeal to the Fair

Wages Commission to resolve the pertinent issues they have raised so the doctors

will return to duty.

According to him the GMA wrote several petitions to the Ministry, all of which were

not responded to, giving cause for them to lay down their tools.

He said the Fair Wages in computing the market premium only captured 44 hours a week

failing to include the number of hours during week-ends and on Public Holidays -

hours the doctors deserve to be paid for, he stressed.

He also stated that due to wrong placements, doctors will earn lower than other

health professionals under the SSSS.

He stated until the Fair Wages and Salary Commission addresses the market premiums

and wrong placement issues raised in the SSSS they are not returning to duty.

He said they are ready to go the long haul if their concerns are not resolved.

source: The Crystal Clear Lens