… 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
