SIAKON MEDIA

Accra, June 22, GNA - The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) will hold an emergency meeting on June 23 in Accra, to discuss the stalemate with Fair Wages and salaries Commission (FWSC) over the new pay policy.

Ahead of the meeting the Association has withdrawn from the negotiations it initiated with the National Labour Commission (NLC), in response to what the body claimed was an attempt by Mr George Smith-Graham, Chief Executive Officer of FWSC to intimidate and pressurised the Commission to rule in their favour.

Mr Edward Tennyson Foli, Acting President of CLOGSAG, who addressed a press conference in Accra on Monday referred to a media report on June 9, quoting the FWSC as saying it would go to court if NLC approved the demand by CLOGSAG to negotiate separately the condition of service of its members.

He alleged that the FWSC had issued series of press statements, in spite of the ban on communication imposed on both parties by the NLC on the matter.

Mr Foli said: "This posture of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is enough threat to fairness and justice regarding the matter before National Labour Commission." 

He said since November 2009, the Association requested the Commission to open salary negotiation for 2010 with members.

"The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission refused to respond, prompting the Association to send the matter to the National Labour Commission"

The Acting President said proceedings of the Technical Committee set up by the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, to address the concerns of CLOGSAG on the Single Spine Pay Policy, have been suspended in view of the fact that FWSC had refused to furnish the Committee with vital information.

Mr Foli asked members of the Association to remain steadfast and continue to have confidence in their leaders as they meet on Wednesday to plan the way forward.

Meanwhile Mr Smith-Graham, had told the Ghana News Agency that said the NLC had postponed to Wednesday, June 23 the issue pending between FWSC and CLOGSAG.

GNA

Bonoyaw (B/A), June 28, GNA - The Dormaa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Vincent Oppong Asamoah, has assured communities in the municipality of government's commitment to implement policies that could enhance the standard of living of the people.

He said this when he visited 14 communities to interact with the chiefs and people and inform them of what plans the government had to uplift infrastructure and social amenities for them.

The communities he visited were Nsuhia, Asikasu, Kurem, Masu, Bonoyaw, Suromani and Dwen.

Others were Yawbofokrom, Kofikumikrom, Gonokrom, Koraso, Kofiasua, Besease and Kyeremasu.

Addressing separate durbars of the chiefs and people of the communities, Mr. Asamoah said the government had demonstrated its ability by improving all the good programmes initiated by the previous government and had started more projects.

He said the government was counting on their cooperation and this they could do by paying their taxes, taking part in communal labour and protecting government property.

Mr. Asamoah spoke against child labour particularly on cocoa farms and urged parents and guardians in cocoa producing areas of the municipality to engage themselves in "peer monitoring" to curtail the practice and allow all children access to education.

"The assembly's bye-laws on education would not spare any defaulting child or parent who may flout them with impunity," Mr. Asamoah said.

The communities he visited appealed to the assembly to provide them with potable water, good roads, electricity, school blocks, jobs for the youth and credit facilities to enable them to expand and maintain their farms.

GNA