No reduction in salaries of doctors - Nduom

Cape Coast, May 29, GNA- Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister for Public Sector Reform (PSR), on Monday dismissed concerns by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), over the implementation of a new pay structure and said government did not intend to reduce the salaries of medical doctors.

He said a review of workers salaries was ongoing but that did not in any way mean salary reduction for any category of workers was going to take place.

Dr. Nduom, therefore, called on the doctors to co-operate with government and "not to do anything that would disturb the industrial peace in the country".

He was reacting to claims by the GMA in the media that the Government intended to implement a new pay structure "to the disadvantage of doctors, when the Minister met with members of the Civil Servants Association of Ghana (CSAG), and other public service workers, at Cape Coast.

Dr Nduom stated that the only body empowered by law to negotiate with workers for salary increase, was the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), and that its establishment would end the situation where workers negotiated for salary increases with about three different bodies.

He explained that the entire public service in the country would be placed under one pay structure, "the single spine structure", to ensure equal pay for equal work and fairness and equity in the pay structure. Dr. Nduom underscored the importance of the public sector and said no nation could develop with a weak public sector and the Government was therefore, determined to equip the sector with the required logistics to enable it function efficiently.

Mr. Smart Chigabatia, Executive Secretary of the CSAG, urged all workers to respect the labour law because it was imposed on workers and reminded them that they were instrumental in the promulgation of the law.

He said the public sector reform, when completed would enable workers in the sector to have their own houses before they even went on retirement, adding that, it was better to have such a policy, rather than mere increases in salaries.

Mr. Chigabatia commended government f or establishing the FWSC to deal with issues concerning wages, salaries and other conditions of services of workers and urged all workers to have confidence in the Commission.

Ms Mercy Arhin, the Cape Coast Municipal Chief Executive, also reiterated the importance government attached to the public sector, as a result of which a special Ministry was established to handle affairs of the sector.

She advised workers to continue to exercise restraint on matters concerning salaries while solutions were being found to their concerns. Dr. Nduom had earlier held a similar meeting with workers in the Mfantsiman district at Saltpond, where he and his entourage briefed workers about the public sector reform. The meeting provided an opportunity for the Minister to create awareness among workers on the essence of the public sector reforms and to react to their concerns on the issue. 29 May 07