Demonstrate equity and fairness in the Civil Service and the Local Government Service … CLOGSAG to Gov’t
The Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) has called on government to demonstrate equity and fairness in the governance of the country particularly within the civil service and the local government service .
It also urged then to do away with political powers and machinery, such as “I cannot work with, am the Minister, therefore I have the power to post and transfer officers.”
It has consequently charged government to initiate urgent steps to bring harmony and tolerance in dealing with these burning issues and have indicated that there are appropriate institutions legally established to deal and address the said issues.
According to CLOGSAG these aberrations in the service are negatively affecting the service delivery and does not auger well to the day to day administration of the civil service machinery.
Mr. Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, Mr. Isaac Bampoe Addo made the call during the celebration of the 2021 Thanksgiving Day at the CLOGSAG headquarters in Accra.
He however urged members of CLOGSAG to be steadfast, tolerant, law abiding and exhibit a sense of neutrality in the discharge of duties and stand up for the rights at all times.
The Executive Secretary urged members to avert their minds on Article 34(8) and (9) that states as follows “38(8) the state shall take steps to eradicate corrupt practices and the abuse of power and secondly the state shall promote among the people of Ghana the culture of political tolerance.
“While ensuring visibility of CLOGSAG in all districts and regions, the Association is still saddled with equality and freedom from discrimination, the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana states under Article 17(2) and (3) that all persons shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic, origin, religion, creed or economic states”, he added.
“For the purpose of this Article, discriminate means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, gender, occupation, religion or creed, whereby persons of one description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another description are not made subject to or are granted privileges or advantages which are not granted to persons of another description”, he further stated.
He said the Association finds the blatant disregard to sanction political appointees who interfere in the day to day activities of the civil service and the local government service highly appalling. Why should staff of the Local Government Service and the Civil Service, who show overtly their political orientation be made to resign or their appointments terminated while political appointees who openly interfere in the affairs of the services receive no sanctions.
“If this is not discrimination then what else can we define discrimination? CLOGSAG demands that the Government shows impartiality in dealing with issues affecting the delivery of service within both the Civil and Local Government Services as regards neutrality and political interference indeed, political interference is an example of abuse of power that should be penalized”, he added saying government is enjoined to take steps to eradicate abuse of power and promote political tolerance.
“The Head of the Civil Service Nana Kwasi Agyekum-Dwamena commended the leadership of CLOGSAG for working tirelessly in propelling government machinery to perform effectively adding that it has brought sanity in the conditions of service of workers.
“Government have put in place the needed measures and structures to enhance training and information in the service”, he said.
Head of Local Government Service, Mr. Nana Ato Arthur expressed his gratitude to CLOGSAG for working assiduously in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic saying staffs were not laid off adding that the gesture demonstrates the commitment of leadership in the service.
Source: Ben LARYEA/ Contributor
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