Tema-Ghana, Oct. 6, CDA Consult – Numerous workers in Tema have united in pushing for the wage and emolument structure for Article 71 Office Holders to be expanded. As a result, the employees have joined the movement to “Don’t Expunge but Rather Expand Article 71 Office Holders.”
In a chance interview, some of the employees stated that eliminating compensation inequities and distortions among government employees will be accomplished by including public and civil personnel in the Article 71 Office Holders salary and emolument system.
All worker associations and unions, including the Ghana Medical Association, the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), which are primarily public and civil servants, were urged to join the glowing demand for expansion of the fronters of Article 71 Office Holders.
The Tema employees also urged the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nurses and Midwifery Council, and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to take an active part in the movement instead of remaining neutral.
In order to correct the flaws in the government pay roll system, the Ghana Federation of Labour recently boldly urged the government to expand the application of Article 71 Office Holders Salary and Emountment Structure to include both public and civil personnel.
“We should change the narratives about the abolishment of Article 71 Office Holders; such a call is retrogressive; let us enrol all public and civil servants in the scheme to enjoy the same benefits,” said Mr. Abraham Koomson, General Secretary of the Federation, who made the request.
In an interview, Mr. Koomson, a labour activist with over 40 years of experience, stated that “what is good for the goose must equally be good for the gander.”
Dr. William Mensah-Ansah, a businessman, in an interview noted that “the call is long overdue to fix all government pay roll anomalies and also make the Ghanaian worker smile at the end of the month.
Dr. Mensah-Ansah pointed out that while those in political office have benefited from the provisions of Article 71, hard-working public employees only receive a small portion of their wages in the form of subpar emoluments. “The distortions in salary need to change,”
The recommendation was praised by Madam Noami Mereku, a public servant, who also stated that labour unions must launch a tenacious campaign supported by persuasive evidence to demand the inclusion of all government employees in the Article 71 Office Holders wage and stipend system.
We cannot have two or more groups of government employees with various pay scales, said Madam Mereku. From the same pot of money, we must all eat.
Government employees also deserve the finest, according to Mr Isaac Antwi, a chemist assistant at a public health facility: “We work under strenuous conditions, but our take-home cannot even take us out of the bank.”
Similar thoughts were shared by other workers, who urged all labour unions to cooperate in order to realise the great goal of “Don’t expunge, but rather expand Article 71 office holders’ structure”.
The President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Chief Justice, and Justices of the Supreme Court are all members of offices covered by Article 71.
The remainder consists of Members of Parliament (MPs), Ministers of State, political appointees, and public employees, all of whom receive unique constitutional privileges while receiving wages charged to the Consolidated Fund.
In accordance with Articles 71(1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution, the President shall, on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five members appointed by him and acting in accordance with the advice of the Council of State, determine the salaries and allowances of the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary paid from the Consolidated Fund.
According to the Constitution, Parliament will decide the wages of the President, his ministers, political appointees, and members of the Council of State based on the recommendations of the same committee.
