Ghanaian workers advised to save during working period
Ghanaian workers have been urged to cultivate the habit of saving during their active working period.
Mr. Charles Kwasi Kumi Brong-Ahafo, Industrial Relations Officer (IRO) of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Ghana Trades Unions Congress (GTUC) gave the advice when addressing a meeting of the Sunyani branch of the union in Sunyani, over the weekend.
Mr. Kumi said a “worker cannot not be said to be rich merely from how much he or she received at the end of the month, but the little to be saved on monthly basis from that monthly pay.”
He noted that the Government’s Biometric Registration of active employees aimed at updating the database of those active workers who are on the Controller and Accountant General’s mechanized payroll with biometric information was a good action.
Mr. Kumi urged workers under the PSWU to be serious and co-operate with the registration officers not only for a successful exercise but also to avoid any embarrassment.
The IRO said during his recent official visit to the Wenchi branch of the union, he learnt that a worker of the local National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) who was not captured during the exercise in the region did not receive his salary at the end of that month because that person’s name had been expunged from the payroll.
He said the main essence of the exercise was to determine genuine workers under government establishments, adding that, under the exercise, employees were expected to provide certain information for identification and registration.
Later in a forum, a worker suggested it was time for the leadership of the Union to introduce a Development and Social Services Fund within the Union, that a worker could contribute to monthly for their welfare.
Another member also described the GHC45 quarterly-imprest to the regional secretariats as “inadequate” to meet the administrative demands and called for progressive increase to enable the regional offices of the Union to work to the expectation of the National Secretariat.
Representatives from the NCCE complained about their Collective Agreement, which they said had not been updated since 2006, thus causing the low emolument of their salary in respect of the migration unto the Single Spine Salary Scheme (SSSS).
They urged the Regional PSWU Secretariat to contact the national headquarters on the issue for redress to enable them to also enjoy, “at least something encouraging under the SSSS”.
Meanwhile, at the Eighth Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the Union held in Accra recently Mr. Richard Ampaabeng was elected the General Secretary, Mr. Bernard Adjei, Deputy General Secretary while Mr. Kenneth Tweneboah-Koduah and Ms. Fati Seidu Tamboro were elected First and Second Trustees respectively. Other elected executive members were: Ms. Eugenia Opoku Amankwa, Chairman, Mr. Debrah Gyamfi, First Vice-Chairman, and Ms. Cecilia Bawanab, Second Vice-Chairman.
Source: GNA