Accra, Nov. 6, GNA - The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana on Friday said it would not be coerced to move into Single Spine if it would be a disadvantage to its members. "We are not only interested in the early implementation of the policy but also more keen on an implementation that would not disadvantage our members", Mr James Amissah, General Secretary of the Association, told the GNA in an interview.

He said five issues to be addressed in the road map for the policy had not been addressed or fully solved and the association found it difficult to ascertain the basis for any implementation. Mr Amissah said the government should have issued a white paper on the way forward between July 01 and August 28 after cabinet had considered memos from stakeholders but that had not been done. Between September 15 and December 31, there should be education on the single spine. Placing all job holders on the new Pay Structure by Fair Wages Salary Commission should have been completed by September 31. It was expected that by September 15 and November 30, Controller and Accountant-General's Department would have completed 'test runs' on the single spine pay structure.

"We know it involves a lot of work but we will not be rushed into a structure that has the likelihood to erode the gains the association has achieved so far." He said the association has communicated its concerns to the Civil Service Council, the sector minister and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission ((FWSC).

"Therefore moving on to the Single Spine Structure one has to tread consciously," Mr Amissah said.

Mr Amissah said the Association was not against the implementation of the new policy but warned members "to look before we reap." He said the concerns raised were well known to members of the association and the government but it looked as if some newspaper publications on the matter seemed to suggest that all was well with the policy. 06 Nov 09