Labour wants gov't to speedily address concerns

The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has asked the Government to as a matter of urgency heed to the early warning signals of labour unions and address their concerns.

This is because the workers of this nation deserved better than their lots today, it said.

Welcoming delegates of the Association to its 12th Quadrennial Delegates’ Congress at the University Of Cape Coast, on Wednesday, the President of CLOGSAG, Gum Naba Alhaji Mahamadu Azonko, criticised what he described as ‘the lack of goodwill’ to address workers’ issues promptly was a matter of great concern to labour unions.

Among the issues that needed immediate attention, he said, were the implementation of the Second Tier/ Occupational Pension Scheme, Upward Review of Allowances, which had not been revised since 2005, the De-freezing of Annual Salary Increment and Reimbursable Allowances that had been virtually frozen since 2010.

The rest are the Implementation of the Recommendations by the Ministerial Committee on Payment of Market Premium to workers without further delay of the CLOGSAG, and the Investment of Members’ Contributions until the final determination of the court case on the Second Tier Pension Scheme.

“The uncertainties and anxieties surrounding these issues are grounds for frustration, de-motivation and low morale among workers in the Government machinery”, he stated and urged the Government to as a matter of urgency institute measures to address all their concerns promptly.

According to Alhaji Azonko, the situation had led to sycophancy, vilification of honest and dedicated members, as well as the politicization of well-intended decision of the Association to seek the welfare of its members.

Mr. Kwame Oppong, the Central Regional Coordinating Director, urged organized labour to always articulate their concerns within the confines of the law and wished them fruitful deliberations.

The one-week Conference, being attended by hundreds of delegates from across the country, is on the theme, “The three Tier Pension Scheme Should Be a Reality Not a Mirage”.