Business News of Thursday, 6 November 1997

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Accra, (Greater Accra) 5 Nov.,

Accra, (Greater Accra) 5 Nov., The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), today warned that this year's Senior Secondary School (SSS) examinations will be disrupted if the salaries of some administrative staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES) are not restored. The warning was given by the union's general secretary, Mr. Daniel Ayim Antwi in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra. Mr. Antwi said following the union's protest against the stoppage, a meeting at the instance of the Minister of Education was held under the chairmanship of the deputy minister, Mr. Kwabena Kyere, on October six, to find a solution to the problem. He said all the representatives agreed that the restoration and alignment of grades and adjustment of salaries for the affected administrative staff should be reinstated immediately. Mr. Antwi said from August to October, the staff in the administrative grades have had their salaries drastically reduced with those in the administrative officer grade not getting anything at all. ''We cannot comprehend why such a cruel treatment should be meted out to these state employees who have committed no offence,'' Mr. Antwi said. Mr. Antwi said the October six meeting was attended by the Director-General and the Chief Personnel Officer of the GES, the Director of Planning and Budget of the Ministry of Education, and the acting Executive Director of the Prices and Incomes board. He wondered what should prevent the government from implementing the decision of such a high profile meeting and warned that the union should not be blamed for any industrial action.