Isaac Bampoe Addo
Members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) yesterday embarked on a nationwide strike over unpaid allowances, after their executives directed them not to report to work.
The workers are demanding the payment of “neutrality allowance,” which is pegged at 20% of their base salary, and is said to be part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) entered into with government on January 20, 2022.
Government said the allowance is to encourage the civil service workers to remain apolitical, but it is not yet firmed up as planned, particularly on the nomenclature which raises concerns among some Ghanaians.
But CLOGSAG members, who are bent on taking the allowance, said government had delayed in paying them the neutrality allowance, hence the decision to embark on strike.
In a statement released on April 5, 2022, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Isaac Bampoe Addo, the civil service workers said they had expected immediate implementation of the MoU signed on January 20, 2022.
“It was noted that the neutrality allowance has not been effected as agreed, in spite of official reminders and follow-ups to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning,” the statement indicated.
“The National Executive Council (NEC), therefore, decided that CLOGSAG should embark on an industrial action to press home its demand for the implementation of the MoU,” it added.
CLOGSAG said it had notified the National Labour Commission, the Civil Service Council, Local Government Service Council and other stakeholders of the intended strike, which would continue until the allowance issue is addressed.
Already, the strike has brought to a halt some activities at all the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) across the country, since CLOGSAG members work as administrators, finance officers, human resource officials, secretaries, and technical officers at their respective organisations.
It is expected that the strike will affect government operations, public service deliveries, and businesses of individuals transacting with public service institutions.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu