We won't resign but fight for our demands – State Attorneys

Aggrieved State Attorneys who are bemoaning over poor conditions of service say they have no intention of resigning their posts en mass but will continue to fight the government until their demands are met.

“We cannot say we will resign. We are going to face the bull by the horn – we will not run away from battle. If we resign, it means we are running away from the battle. We are going to face the problems and bring about reformation in the sector,” noted President of the State Attorneys, Mrs. Francisca Takyi-Mensah in an interview with Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Si Mi So on Kasapa 102.3 FM Tuesday.

The State Attorneys had long expected their salary and conditions of service to be harmonized as per the dictates of the Legal Service Act but to their dismay; nothing has been done about it.

Section 5 of the Legal Service Act stipulates that salary and allowances of State Attorneys should be same as High Court, Circuit and Magistrate Court Judges.

Since 2008, only Chief State Attorneys have benefitted from the law with the lower ranks yet to.

Those with the ranks of Principal State and Senior State are paired with Judges at the Circuit Court while State and Assistant State Attorneys are paired with Judges at the Magistrate Court (Grade I and II).

Mrs. Francisca Takye-Mensah told Owusu Adjei that over the last three years, 50 of her colleagues have resigned over the matter but till date none has been employed to replace them.

She revealed that there are several others who have also “tendered in their resignation letters and are ready to leave.”

“Our number of 151 has reduced and there a quite a number of us who have also submitted their resignation letter. So the number will further reduce,” she noted.

She said under the terms of engagement, they were entitled to an official vehicle and a chauffeur as well as security and the payment of pension.

That notwithstanding, they are entitled to free medical care and a housing facility as well as promotion every three years.

According to her they have not benefitted from any of the above incentives and signaled that they would continue to press home their demands until those in authority hear them.

The State Attorneys called off their one month strike action Tuesday, August 4, 2015, and resumed to work to ensure the smooth process of arbitration between them and the government.