The Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Haruna Iddrisu has made a passionate appeal to the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) not to embark on their planned industrial actions.
UTAG and POTAG have served notice of a strike if their book and research allowances are not paid.

Members of the GMA have all threatened to resign if issues concerning their conversation differences and conditions of service are not addressed.

Speaking at the two-day forum on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS), the Minister revealed that he had received text messages from the presidents of POTAG and UTAG, reminding him of the payment of the book and research allowances.

He said in turn reminded them that the book and research allowances has been scrapped and replaced with the book and research fund; a development they are both aware of.

“I reminded them that it was a collective decision to support government policy decision to replace that with the book and research fund,” he said.

Lectures at public tertiary inistitutions since last year have been battling government not to scrap the research and book allowances.

They withdrew their services for a number of weeks over the issue but the government refused to maintain the research and book allowance.

Mr. Iddrisu therefore recommended that the teacher unions should work together with government to help find a lasting solution to the problem.

He further urged them to “maintain the industrial peace and harmony that on our campuses.”

Regarding the conversion difference and conditions of service for the members of the GMA, the Employment Minister indicated that he is fully aware of the threat by doctors in the country to resign by June 30, 2015.

The doctors want government to issue a collective bargaining agreement with them over their conditions of service.

According to the GMA, since the Ghana Health Service (GHS) was established in 1996, no conditions of service have been given to doctors although concerns have been raised over the issue several times.

They are thus determined to get the problem fixed to enable them get what is rightfully due them.

But the Minister nonetheless asked them to be “cautious not to declare an industrial action in undermining the peace that exists in the country.”

“On matters of market premium, computation of pensions which affect health workers and conclusion of processes leading to the adoption of conditions of service for health workers, the union should be assured that work is in progress.”

citifmonline.com

Minister of Power, Dr Kwabena Donkor has accused celebrities warming up to hold a vigil in protest of the power crisis that has plagued the country, of turning themselves into a “pseudo-political” group.

According to him, this group of people will have their energies and time better spent if they fashion out ways of perking up Ghana’s creative arts industry which has more room for improvement.

“If they were joining any other group or some demonstration being organised by concerned citizens, I would have appreciated it because they have the right as citizens, but if you turn an artistic institution into a political action group at a time when that industry still has a lot to do, I would wish that the artistes concentrated as a group on improving the state of Ghanaian arts and making the arts in the country achieve international fame” Dr. Kwabena Donkor noted.

A group of celebrities led by Actress Yvonne Nelson and Musician Sarkodie are set for a vigil dubbed “#Dumsormuststop” which is slated for 16^th May 2015, however it appears their programme has hit a snag as the Ga Traditional Council has petitioned the Greater Accra Regional Police Command to stop a street protest since the ban of drumming and noise making is in effect from today Monday 11^th May 2015, and will be in full force by the day for the protest.

In an interview on Starr FM’s Morning Starr Show Monday, Hon. Dr Kwabena Donkor who is also the Member of Parliament for Pru East, stated that as Minister for Power he regrets the current power crisis which is adversely affecting businesses and individuals, assuring that government is working frantically to solve the energy problem.

He disclosed that he feels embarrassed to put his generator on, anytime there is power outage in his area.

“I have been insulted severally by my neighbours over the dumsor problem, some describing me as useless, it comes with the job and I’m shouldering that responsibility as the sector minister” he said.

The John Mahama-led government has promised Ghanaians to end the three – year power crisis by end of 2015, as it is optimistic of taking delivery of two power barges in September 2015 and January 2016.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

Minority Leader and MP for Suame, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu may be considering becoming President of Ghana in future.

In an interview on Kumasi based Fox FM, the experienced parliamentarian said he believes he would make a better President than the sitting President, John Mahama.

“My performance in parliament is 100% better than that of John Mahama during his parliamentary days. He is my friend and I know what he can and cannot do”.

When asked whether he is eyeing the Presidency, he answered “which Policeman wouldn’t want to become IGP”.

The Minority leader also stated that Nana Addo was several times better in Parliament than the President.

Many in the Suame constituency have accused the MP of doing very little for them since becoming their representative.

Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu however believes people who are eager to see him out of parliament do not understand the workings of parliament and what it means for them to have their MP among the leadership of the house.

Source: rawgist.com

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Hon. Georgina Nkrumah Aboah has inaugurated four Health facilities at Asikuma, Fosuansa, Breman and Kawanopado as the MP pursue her course of bringing quality health delivery to the door-steps of the people.

The projects include two separate Community Health-based Planning Services (CHPs) compounds for Fosuansa and Kawanopado, Health Center at Asikuma and an ultra- modern medical laboratory for the Breman Health Center.

Speaking at a colorful ceremony at Asikuma to commission the projects, Hon. Nkrumah-Aboah said it has been her long desire to provide improved health care for residents in the said communities.

The development, according to Mrs. Aboah will play a complementary role to the various health facilities by handling minor cases and also ease congestion at the Catholic Hospital at Breman Asikuma.

She advised health workers to take good care of the facilities provided to ensure their intended purposes.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Mr. Samuel Adom Botchway in his speech, lauded the MP for the projects.

He noted that the assembly was discussing a possible construction of two separate 30-bed health centers at Asikuma and another community yet to selected. He added that the assembly was also liaising with the MP to purchase stand-by generators for the all the medical facilities in the area.

Acting District Health Director, Mr. Samuel Ofosu in his address hailed the MP for the gesture and called for more assistance for health workers in the area.

Emmanuel Frimpong M/GhanaMPs.gov.gh

Irene Naa Torshie Addo, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema West Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has expressed her readiness to retain the parliamentary seat she has occupied since 2006.

According to the incumbent MP, the impending parliamentary primaries would be the best competition she would ever contest and has welcomed her challenger, Carlos Ahenkorah, to pitch his strength against hers.

She stated that “I’ m ready for competition; I’m ready, very ready and if he qualifies he should bring it on for the election.  I don’t have the power to disqualify any candidate so they should hold on for the June 13 election so we see who is who.”

Naa Torshie Addo, who challenged her contenders after taking her turn at the Tema Zone of the ongoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) vetting of aspirants for the upcoming parliamentary primaries scheduled for next month, advised her supporters to be calm till the election day.

She is facing stiff competition from two candidates, namely Carlos Ahenkorah, a freight forwarder and Adwoa Amoako, a business woman.

The first deputy minority whip debunked the accusation that she was influencing the vetting committee to disqualify a particular candidate who was a threat to her, expressing confidence that she would sail through the primaries with ease.

So far the vetting committee has completed its work in 11 constituencies after two days of the exercise, with constituencies such as Adenta, Kpone-Katamanso, Tema West, Okaikoi North, Ningo-Prampram and Ashaiman taking their turns yesterday.

Joyce Konekei Zempare, the Greater Accra Regional Women’s Organiser, told DAILY GUIDE that the committee had received some petitions from delegates and that most of the matters raised in those petitions had been dealt with according to the party’s constitution.

Buabeng Asamoah, a member of the NPP communication team aspiring to contest the Adenta seat, expressed surprise at a petition filed against him to the effect that he owed GH¢24, being party dues. However, he was optimistic that he would sail through as a result of the laws governing the party.

Source: Daily Guide

Outspoken Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyepong has commended executives of the New Patriotic Party Greater Accra Regional Office, for refusing to implement a waiver issued by the party General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong for some Parliamentary aspirants.

He said any such unilateral stance taken by whichever party executive must be resisted as it is not representative of any decision taken by the National Executive Council.

Mr. Kwabena Agyapong directed that three parliamentary aspirants pay ₵15,000 instead of the required ₵30,000 noting that the practice is normal and has been used in the party since time immemorial.

“Waivers have always been used in our party, past general secretaries have used it before; I am not the first person to be using it. “I recall that it was used for deputy minority leader Dominic Nitiwul when he crossed-carpet from the PNC to the NPP, even when we were in government.

But contributing to a discussion of Adom TV’s Badwam show on Thursday, Hon. Kennedy Agyepong insist that Mr Agyepong has no right to single handedly reduce filing fees for any aspirant, urging constituency executives to be bold and reject all aspirants who present waiver letters.

“At the party’s last National Executive Council meeting, I was present and I recall that the house took a decision to waive the filing fees for a section of the aspirants including the disabled and the youth and not any other persons outside these categories” he said.

“The General Secretary should have come back to the NEC to seek approval for the waiver since they had earlier taken a position. In issuing a waiver, the General Secretary has to hold a discussion with executives of constituencies where such waivers are to be implemented, before the aspirants present the letters and it shouldn’t come to them as a surprise” he added.

Hon. Ohene Agyepong stressed the need for the Party executives not to be “power drunk” as such tendencies have the potential of marring the unity and electoral success that the party so much yearns for.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

She will be 45 years on July 12, this year and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Lower West Akyem in the Eastern Region.

Ms Gifty Klenam was sworn in as an MP in January, 2008 and is among those who would be contesting to be the party’s parliamentary candidate for Lower West Akyem.

Ms. Klenam was the guest on the newly introduced TV3 programme, Everyday People last Saturday. It is broadcast on Saturdays during the 7.00 p.m. news bulletin.

At the age of 13 years, she became a Kayayo in Tema, to earn a living because her aunty, who she stayed with, did not care much about her. Her aunty’s husband asked that she (Gifty) be sent to school and she was enrolled at Datus School in Tema. She started at the age of 16 years in stage four.

Asked whether she was not embarrassed by being in stage four at that age, she said she was not bothered because she was determined to improve herself.

Gifty revealed that quite a lot of her elementary school expenses were borne by proceeds from the Kayayo business. Even whilst at school, she would use her spare time to do the Kayayo business.

The NPP MP studied hard and passed the Common Entrance Examination so well that she had a government scholarship for her SSS education at Asuom Secondary School.

On why she entered politics, Ms Klenam explained: “It is an occupation/profession that you need credible people to enter. If you sit back and say you are not interested in the act of governance, the performance or otherwise of politicians will impact on you. It is a decision I made and will continue to serve my people.”

Source: The Daily Dispatch