Sandema(UE) May 1, GNA-The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana(CLOGSAG), says it would not cooperate on the implementation of Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) if the Fair Wages and Salary Commission fails to address its concerns. According to the group, other organized labour groups which have agreed to the implementation of the SSSS were already ahead of them in terms of salary and that if the SSSS was implemented in its present form without addressing the problem, it would worsen the plight of CLOGSAG members. Mr. Patrick A Fagelogo, Upper East Regional Chairman of CLOGSAG stated this in a solidarity message during the Region's May Day celebration held at Sandema in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region on Saturday. He explained that currently, workers of other organized labour groups who have the same qualifications and grades as CLOGSAG members were drawing more salaries than them which was "discriminately and should not be so" Mr. Fagelogo indicated CLOGSAG members had sacrificed for the economic growth of the country saying that was why the present Government could now boast of a robust economy. He said:" If the CLOGSAG were not productive, Government would have not made any positive growth.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Judiciary Service Association of Ghana who were in favour of the implementation of the SSSS appealed to Government to ensure it implement on July 2010 as it promised.

Reacting to the concerns raised by CLOGSAG, the Upper East Regional Minister in his address assured organized labour that the government was committed to the implementation of the SSSS in July 2010 as it promised. Government has taken into consideration all the concerns of all interested parties in order to build a consensus and to overcome any implementation challenges.

He stated that the Government was more committed to improving the living conditions of workers and that was why it was coming out with so many pro-poor intervention programmes including the National Health Insurance Scheme, School Feeding Programme.

He indicated that Government realizing that there could not be improvement in rural economy and food security was reactivating a number of factories including the Northern Star Tomato factory to full operational capacity to erase the predicament of tomato framers in the Region.

Government was also in the process of de-silting small scale dams in the Region to ensure the availability of water for all year agriculture activities.

The Regional Minister however stressed the need for workers to work hard to raise the level of productivity in order to make development more sustainable.

Mr. Norbert Awulley, the District Chief of the Builsa District, urged workers to eschew absenteeism, lateness to work and stop engaging in other activities during working hours such as lottery at the expense of official duties. The Regional Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Augustine Apambilla Adongo read the speech on behalf the Secretary General of TUC, Mr. Kofi Asamoah. Deserving workers were awarded.

Policy Fair to be replicated in regions

Accra, May 1, GNA - Ghana Policy Fair (GPF), government's social forum for engaging with the people, is to be institutionalized as an annual event to enable the citizenry to participate in the decision-making process of governance in the country. The GPF will also be replicated in all the regions across the country.

Mr. Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information announced this at the closing session of the first ever GPF organised by the Ministry of Information (MOI) in Accra on Saturday. He said the MOI was currently working to determine the dates on which the Ghana Regional Policy Fairs would be held. The Fair, an exhibition of policies, projects and activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) was under the theme: "Engaging the Citizenry for a Better Ghana".

More than 100 MDA's and MMDA's exhibited their policies, programmes and activities and explained to visitors what they were doing to facilitate the "Better Ghana Policy" of the Government. Mr. Okudzeto-Ablakwa described the week-long programme, which started from Tuesday, April 27, as "successful even beyond expectations given the array of persons and useful recommendations made". He said the MOI had tasked a team to compile the recommendations made at the Fair to guide Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA's) in the implementation of their projects and programmes. He paid glowing tribute to public officials and civil servants who exhibited projects, programmes and activities of their various MDA's and MMDA's and took time to explain the import behind such projects, programmes and activities to the public.

He also thanked the President, Prof. John Atta Mills and his Vice John Mahama for visiting the fair. Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Tourism organized a cultural dance session to showcase Ghana's rich traditions and culture. It also displayed beds and other tourists' attractions in the country.