Leading Member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) Kwame Jantuah has called on members of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) seeking payment of a neutrality allowance to “resign if they want to do politics”.
The Civil & Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) on April 21, 2022, embarked on a strike action to demand payment of their neutrality allowance in arrears. A move, opening the flood gate for other members of the TUC to demand same.
Mr Jantuah who was on GHToday on GHOne TV questioned the basis for the payment of such an allowance.
“The Constitution and the Supreme Court have said civil servants cannot engage in partisan politics. So why should we pay you an allowance for it? If you want to be an assemblyman, Resign and go be an Assembly Man. You can’t have your cake and eat it – None of us Can”, he said.
He further asked for a probe into the matter by the president.
“Why would the politician do something like that? This is where the President should be asking Who signed this. Not unless he knows about it because the finger will be pointed at him and if he knows nothing about it, is it fair to point a finger at him? He needs to call people to book. Let Ghanaians see you’re doing something about it because the majority do not understand what this neutrality allowance is”.
Meanwhile, the government says it will pay members of CLOGSAG their Neutrality allowance in the last quarter of this year as it looks to make changes to the name of the allowance.
According to the government, the payment of the allowance will boost the commitment of the members of CLOGSAG to remaining neutral in the discharge of their duties.
But labour Consultant, Yiadom Boakye Amponsah is of the view that the government must not entertain such allowances.
In an interview with GHOne TV, he said “I think it shouldn’t be entertained in our work environment. The civil service code says that you don’t have to meddle in politics, you’ve got to be quite confidential in your activities and therefore it is part of your work so you cannot earn allowances for those. I don’t think an organization should be pouring out such a generous allowance schedule in their environment”.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Emmanuel Agyabeng
