Opinions of Wednesday, 23 November 2022

Columnist: Cyril mills

Our economic rate

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The only thing that will solve the problem for every Ghanaian worker is for all workers, TUC, organised labour and other Labour unions should go on strike to demand immediate amendment of the 1992 constitution to expunge article 71 which favour only the political class, abolish ex gratia, prevent the president from appointing IGP, AG, AUDITOR GENERAL, EOCO BOSS, EC boss, CJ, etc, prevent the President from appointing MPs as Ministers.

Put all public sector workers including politicians on the same pay structure such that if increments in salaries are 10%, all and everyone is given the 10% not when the politicians are given 70% whilst other workers are given 4%.

The only way this constitution will be amended by the same politicians that it benefits is when, all Labour unions, (NAT, NAGRAT, TEWU, CLOSSAG, CCTU, UTAG, Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacists, etc) COLLABORATE with CSOs ( Civil Society organisations) to embark on a serious STRIKE and Demonstrations.

If nothing like the above happens, No politician in GOVERNMENT or POWER will willingly amend the Constitution to benefit all citizens to enable development and eradicate the unfairness in the salaries of Public sector workers including politicians.

You may ask how would such a new salary structure be made to reduce drastically the unfairness. This is my opinion;

It should be based on academic qualifications such that all SSSCE certificates holders, diploma holders, degree holders, master's holders, PhD holders, Profs, etc where ever they found themselves in the public sector whether in Parliament as an Mp, minister, President, in the classroom, in police service, in the army, nurses, etc WILL be paid the same BASIC salary as far as, they're having the same academic qualifications.

For example, a master's holder who's a headmaster in primary school will take the SAME BASIC salary as a master's holder who's a Member of Parliament or who's a minister, same as a master's holder teaching in any public university, the only difference should be the allowances that each individual will be given in respect of their work.

For example, a nurse who's a degree holder will take the SAME Basic pay as an MP who's also a degree holder, but the nurse will be entitled to "Night allowance " which the Mp won't be entitled to and vice versa, the Mp may also be entitled to an allowance that the nurse won't take.

In my opinion, the above is the only way to prevent these greedy politicians from taking ordinary Ghanaian Public sector workers for granted and also make the system fair for us all.

Please let's all start sharing this on our various platforms.

It may spark the necessary conversation and cause the change we want.