Agona Swedru, April 2, GNA- Mr Smart Chigabatia, Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants Association of Ghana has stated that the government met leaders of organised labour before the increment in fuel prices.

He said that the government informed them about how the subsidise on fuel was draining government coffers, adding that, the government told the leaders that the huge sums of money could be used to finance education, health, roads and others sectors instead.

Mr Smart Chigabatia, addressing members of the Agona District branch of the Association at Swedru as part of a nation wide tour said the government had released 25 billion cedis for the payment of salary arrears for Civil Servants from January to March this year. He said the government agreed to pay the salary arrears to enable workers to meet the increase in petroleum products at the meeting with leaders of organised labour to discuss the welfare of the workers. The Executive Secretary stressed that the Association would do everything possible to ensure that the government took good care of workers to improve their conditions of service.

Mr Chigabatia asked the workers to use democratic process to address labour issues instead of resorting to demonstrations and strike actions to back their demands for better condition of service. He stressed that there was the need for the government to implement the Universal Salary Structure for workers especially for Civil Servants.

The Executive Secretary announced that the Presidential Commission on Pension would soon submit its report to the government. He stressed the need for an Occupational Pension Scheme for workers to address the payment of gratuity, while the Social Security and National Trust (SSNIT) continued to be responsible for the Pension scheme.

Mr Chigabatia called for the restructuring of SSNIT to enable it to perform creditably in the interest of workers and urged Civil Servants to undertake economic ventures to improve their living conditions.

Mr John Adjei Abekah, Agona District Secretary of the Association appealed to the government to refund the medical bills of Civil Servants to assist work effectively to promote productivity. He called for the speedy implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme for the Civil Servants in the Central Region.