Local government workers target improved revenue generation, sanitation in 2014

cediThe Local Government Workers’ Union (LGWU), has called on its members to brace themselves for the coming year, saying improving revenue generation and sanitation should be key areas of attention for local authorities.

In the Union’s Christmas and New Year message issued on Sunday for its members in the Metropolitan, Municipal, District Assemblies (MMDA’s) and departments, the leadership of the union said the two areas are critical to make qualitative impact on the lives of the citizens at the grassroots.

“We have resolved that in 2014 and beyond our members will work harder to help the political and administrative heads of the MMDAs, under the Local Government Service to provide effective and efficient programmes and projects to communities at the grassroots.”

The message signed by the Union’s Deputy General Secretary, Godfred Okyere on half of its General Secretary Mr Joe Boahen, and copied to Ghana News Agency said because its workers are at the grassroots, any lapses on their part in discharging their duties could have dire consequences for development at the local level.

“As a union, we wish to express our disappointment at the mountain of refuse heaps in most of our communities. Our union members with the responsibility for sanitation are willing and ready to tackle the deteriorating sanitation head-on provided the requisite equipment could be made available to them on time.

“The LGWU in its attempt to contribute its quota to national development will not sit down unconcerned about certain actions by some workers’ associations that have the tendency to create acrimony on the labour front,” it added.

On the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy, the union commended its members for remaining resolute and focused in the wake of labour agitations in 2013, especially over market premiums.

It said leadership would: “Patiently work with the relevant institutions to conduct the labour survey as announced by the Minister of Finance…in the 2014 budget to determine the right category of Ghanaian workers entitled to the market premium.”

It appealed to the National Labour Commission to call to order workers associations, which have changed their names as a ploy to lure members of the LGWU to desist from the practice.

“The LGWU will like to appeal to the government through the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, the Local Government Service Governing Council, the Civil Service Council, to prevail on Civil and Local Government Service Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), to stay within its jurisdiction and organise workers who fall under the civil servant categorisation.”

The LGWU says it takes strong exception to the attempt by CLOGSAG to organise workers at the MMDAs as the association is fully aware that such category of workers come under the Local Government Service and therefore belong to the union.

The action by CLOGSAG, the statement said has largely contributed to LGWU members having to suffer double deduction by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, which the leadership of the union has been working frantically to resolve.

Source: GNA

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