Doctors earn a fraction of what presidential aides get

Medical practitioners are among the most revered professionals all over the world, but, the recent decision of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to embark on an industrial action has elicited some propaganda noises from government and its sympathizers with some christening the Doctors as criminals, armed robbers, and murderers.

To make matters worse, pro-government propagandists have been spewing some figures as reflecting the levels of Doctors’ monthly salaries, but, The New Crusading GUIDE can authoritatively report that according to documents at the Controller and Accountant General’s Office and the Ministry of Finance, Presidential Aides at the Office of the President receive three times the salary of a Medical Officer.

While a Presidential Aide receives a monthly salary of GHc3,882.86, Medical Officers’ salary is Ghc1,269.24.

Uncharacteristically, the state-owned newspaper, The Daily Graphic of Thursday 21 October, 2011, published the salaries of serving Doctors. The Doctors immediately refuted the publication.

Immediately the publication hit town, various local radio stations were inundated with telephone calls virtually blaming the Doctors and accusing them of being greedy.

Other callers also urged the media to publish the salaries of serving Ministers of State and other government appointees; a challenge The New Crusading GUIDE accepted and set out to hunt for the figures.

The documents, this paper intercepted between the offices of the Controller and Accountant General and the Finance Ministry, reveal salaries of Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Presidential Aides, Board Chairmen, Board Members and Presidential Advisors, etc.

Dr. Hardi Abdullah, a former President of Junior Doctors’ Association in an interview, told The New Crusading GUIDE :“my brother, as I have always insisted, this matter is not about money, so that publication was meant to incite the public against us (Doctors) but, I am very happy that could not wash and the truth has come out”.

He therefore urged his colleague Doctors to stand firm and support the President of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr Adom Winful and his team “in these trying times”.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Health, Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, according to www.myjoyonline.com, had given the strongest indication that government was not prepared to yield to the demand of the Doctors and has dared them to take the government’s offer or leave it.

He also stated - now that the Ghana Medical Association and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission would undergo a compulsory arbitration - the Doctors had no choice but to call off the strike, since their resolve would amount to flouting the rules of engagement of arbitration.

“The rules of engagement of arbitration are very clear; that the parties, before arbitration can be empanelled, cannot continue with the lockout action, and cannot continue with the strike action. And that it behoves on them (Doctors), if they want to prepare themselves for arbitration, to go back to work immediately. It is not an option that is available to them”, he observed.

According to www.myjoyonline.com, Mr Mettle-Nunoo minced no words when he challenged the Doctors to advise themselves, and if possible, resign from government health facilities and resort to their private practice.

“The options are clear…the reason for establishing the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission was to establish fair wages. They are free to advise themselves if, they think the employer, which is government, is unable to meet their demand; I think they have an option of going to private practice.”

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Doctors will today (Monday) go into compulsory arbitration.