The Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development has invited striking members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) to an emergency meeting over the association’s ongoing industrial action.
The meeting scheduled for Monday, May 9, 2022, will hinge on the non-payment of the political neutrality allowance, which has forced the group to embark on strike for two weeks.
The demand for the allowance has been criticised by many including Civil Society Organizations, yet, the association says the strike will not be called off until its demands are met.
Government business is being heavily affected, with many Ghanaians seeking the services of CLOGSAG members being stranded.
There have been calls for the striking workers to rather push for better salaries and improved service conditions, but members of CLOGSAG insist government must do due diligence and get the political neutrality allowance paid.
The letter from the parliamentary select committee sighted by Citi News is signed by Anita Quartey-Papafio and addressed to the Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG.
“It would be appreciated if your Association would kindly attend upon the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development on Monday 9th May at the 7th Floor East of the Job 600 building of Parliament House to discuss issues relating to the industrial action. A fruitful meeting is anticipated”, parts of the letter read.
CLOGSAG has been lamenting what it believes is government’s lack of commitment to honour the payment of the political neutrality allowance due its members.
The concern comes after the National Labour Commission (NLC) directed the Ministry of Finance on a payment plan of the allowance.
A week after that order, CLOGSAG is yet to receive payment compelling the striking association to continue with its strike.
Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, Isaac Bampoe Addo said the Finance Ministry is being disingenuous with the agreement reached by the parties involved.
“That directive from the National Labour Commission that they [Finance Ministry] sends instruction to the Controller and Accountant General for the payment of the allowance has still not been done as we speak. That should have been done last week as directed by the NLC”, he said on Eyewitness News.
Isaac Bampoe Addo further lamented the current turn of events, thus questioning the delay in the payment.
“If two parties have gone to the National Labour Commission and there has been a directive and the Ministry of Finance with impudence doesn’t comply with the directive, what signals are they sending? NLC has directed the payment and the Finance Ministry has still not done it.”
“The allowance is just a minute part of our conditions of service. The whole conditions of service are even yet to be tackled. The allowance was a decision taken by government to be implemented in 2022 so the payment structure is tackled in 2023. That was the agreement, and the Finance Ministry is flouting the directive with impudence. It is the Ministry of finance that is not playing ball. We wonder what is happening”, Mr. Addo added.
