The Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama, has said the government has taken note of the concerns of organised labour and will take steps to address them.

Of special concern is the demand for a single spine salary structure, he said, adding that the government would do everything possible to bring the Single Spine Salary structure to fruition as quickly as possible, since the principle of equal-pay-for-equal-work done was grounded on the Constitution.

"We will ensure that your welfare is placed on the highest pedestal, as social democrats," Vice-President Mahama assured at the maiden National Activists' Awards Night organised by the Civil Servants Associa­tion of Ghana at the Banquet Hall in Accra on Friday.

Twenty-one past and present civil servants were recognised for their unfettered spirit of voluntarism, commitment to the cause of the association's goals and objectives, and positive activism in the association's ac­tivities.

He said a major Stakeholder's Consultative Work­shop would soon be held to discuss the pay structure to pave the way for its eventual implementation.

He underscored the need to inject efficiency into the.Civil Service to quicken the pace of economic growth and national development because "it is the civil service that keeps government machinery running".

The Vice-President observed that efforts had been made over the years to put the civil service on a modern footing, like the Institutional Renewal Reform Programme, and stressed that the service should improve on how fast it adapted to technology to engender efficiency.

Touching on housing, he said there was the need to put in place a mortgage environment for civil servants to be able to acquire and own houses before they left of­fice. Towards that purpose, he said the government was in consultation with some organisations to construct "fast­built," - special houses that are built within four weeks­ for Ghanaian workers.

He commended the CSAG for promoting industrial harmony and pledged that the government would recip­rocate it by being open and truthful about all that hap­pened in the economy.

Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao, Minister for Employ­ment and Social Welfare, said the government would not shirk its responsibility of ensuring that workers were given a dignified remuneration structure.

"All that we desire from you is hard work, commit­ment and your continuous use of dialogue and consulta­tions in seeking redress for grievances," he said.

Mr. Robertson Allotey, president of the association said that teachers, farmers, health workers and others were recognised nationally through awards of no less prize than a three-bedroom furnished bungalow. Civil Servants, he said, deserved the same.

He said the association had acquired lands in the re­gions for members to build houses, and appealed to the government to assist by providing site services on the tracts of land to help reduce the cost of construction.

Mr. Allotey gave the assurance that the association would cooperate with the government to ensure indus­trial harmony. "Our demands shall be tempered with re­alism," he said and hoped that there would be reciproc­ity from government in its dealings with the association.


Source: Ghanaian Times