NLC orders teachers to return to classrooms

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed the three striking teacher unions to call off their two-day old strike and return to the classroom. The directive was given after a meeting convened by the NLC and attended by the representatives of the three teacher unions, Finance Minister Seth Terkper and the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission George Smith Graham. The three teacher unions Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) on October 27, declared an indefinite strike over government’s failure to pay their vehicle maintenance allowance, incremental fees and transfer grants and three months’ salary arrears. The President of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ernest Opoku told Citi News that the leadership of the three unions are not satisfied with the directive given by the NLC but said they may call off the strike after consulting with their members. The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, George Smith Graham opined in an interview that the strike “could have been avoided if the unions had also been a little patient.” The three striking teacher unions are also part of a current strike announced by labour over government failure to release their tier two pensions. Although the NLC did not offer any explanation about the directive, it is believed the Commission might have hinted to the unions that their action was illegal. Government has however sued them with a view to compel them to call of the strike.

Source:Citifmonline.com

Govt heeds GMA call for Ebola insurance cover for health workers

Government has approved an insurance policy for frontline workers who would be managing Ebola cases in the event of an outbreak in Ghana, according to the Chief of Staff. Prosper Bani, revealed this during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, at the Flagstaff House yesterday. The insurance package has been one of the key requests by health workers during discussions on Ghana's Ebola preparedness a few months ago. The health workers, led by the Ghana Medical Association maintains high fatality rates among their colleagues in countries battling the outbreak, and poor conditions of service for doctors, make the request for insurance cover legitimate. Details of the insurance cover for the health workers were not made known. The Chief of Staff mentioned the insurance policy and capacity building activities for front line workers as key steps being taken by Ghana government in readiness of a possible outbreak of the deadly virus that has claimed more than 4,000 lives in Liberia, Guinea, Siera Leone and other West African countries. Samantha Power, who is leading a U.S. team to assess progress made in combating the Ebola epidemic in West Africa said countries must guard against complacency when dealing with the scourge. She said extra vigilance is key to fighting the disease, considering what the US has had to go through when the first Ebola case was confirmed in the country a few weeks ago. She said U.S President, Barak Obama, considers Ghana's accommodation of the UN Ebola Center and President John Mahama's visit to the Ebola hit countries as a major step in checking stigmatization. The Chief of staff also called on bilateral and multilateral agencies to come on board in checking socio-economic challenges posed by the deadly virus in the sub-region.

Source:Myjoyonline.com

Gov’t agencies commit to child rights issues

Community Development Alliance (CDA), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), has successfully influenced the establishment of child rights panels by some Municipal and District Assemblies as mandated by the Children’s Act, Act 560. CDA, which is committed to promoting the well-being and human rights of women and children across the northern sector of Ghana, had again influenced community declarations against issues of child rights and child abuse through enacting and enforcement of bye-laws. Mr. Yussif Kanton, Executive Director of CDA, who revealed this during a multi- stakeholders’ review meeting in Wa, noted that CDA had also been able to reach out to more than 15,000 children in rural communities through sensitization to help improve communities’ knowledge on child rights and protection issues. He said the creation of the children help-line for the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service had helped to increase the rate of people who now reported issues of child abuse to the Unit. According to him, through collaboration, government agencies concerned with issues of child rights and child protection such as the Social Welfare, Department of Children and DOVVSU, had become more efficient in carrying out their mandate more than before, since funding from the Central Government was not forthcoming. Mr. Issahaku Nuhu Putiaha, Wa Municipal Chief Executive, commended CDA for facilitating the establishment of the child panels and hoped that their work would have greater impact on the well-being of children.

Source:Ghananewsagency.com

Nana Addo advised to pick Dan Botwe as campaign manager

Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has called on New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo to appoint Dan Botwe as his campaign Manager. Mr. Baako believes the Okere Legislator would do a better job than any of his contenders which newspapers reported are gunning for the position. Four persons; Stephen Ntim, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Boakye Agyarko and Dan Botwe were reported to have been earmarked for the position. And among these men, Mr. Baako speaking on Peace fm’s Kokrokoo Programme yesterday pledged on his unflinching support for the former NPP General Secretary. Mr. Botwe as General Secretary of the party led the NPP into power in 2001 and helped it maintain power in 2004, a feat which has only been equaled by current General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Aseidu Nketia. Though Mr. Agyarko was the campaign manager for Nana Addo in the just ended NPP presidential primaries which he won 94 percent of votes, Mr. Botwe is still tipped to win the race for Campaign Manager.

Source:Myjoyonline.com

Labour unions plan demo against Gov’t

The twelve striking labour unions have hinted of a nationwide demonstration to protest government’s handling of their strike. The unions embarked on nationwide strike on October 22 to protest the government’s failure to pay public sector workers their tier two pension funds into a private trustee account. Speaking to Citi News the General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association, one of the striking unions, Perpetual Ofori Ampofo said they are disappointed with the government’s failure to meet their demands and are considering taking to the streets to make their point.  The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu announced that the government was seeking an interpretation from the court “on aspects of provisions of the Pensions Act and some clarifications on the second tier pension scheme and the role of employer and employee in the management of the fund.” He also revealed that a complaint had been filed at the National Labour Commission (NLC) against the 12 unions but the complaint has since been withdrawn. But Madam Ampofo, said they are unfazed by government’s decision to pursue legal action against them stating that they are not “shaken by the writ at all. She added that they had the full support of their members.

Source:Citifmonline.com