Accra, Jan. 30, GNA – The Local Government Workers Union (LGWU) of Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) is asking the Controller and Accountant General (CAG) to as a matter of urgency, refund deductions made from members’ salary arrears in December 2011 and in January 2012.
Reminding the CAG, it said, members of the LGWU no longer pay dues to the Civil Servants Association (CSA) and the Union was therefore shocked in December when the CAG effected deductions from their arrears.
The Union said in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Sunday signed by its General Secretary, Mr Joe Boahen that the deduction ranging from GHc150.00 to GHc500.00, had affected the LGWU members badly.
“The amount deducted did not make it possible for the affected staff to enjoy the three months arrears paid in December, under the Single Spine Salary Pay Policy.
LGWU is also asking the CAG not to deduct any dues from members of the LGWU for the Civil Servants Association with effect from February, 2012 in order to avert any industrial unrest.
The leadership said their investigation showed that the December 2011 dues deducted were made to the Civil Servants Association.
“The leadership of the LGWU, therefore wishes to register its reservation in the strongest term, why the CAG effected the deductions under the item headed Civil Servants Association, when in fact the affected members of the LGWU do not belong to that Association.”
The statement said LGWU’s Industrial Relations Officers had therefore been tasked to contact the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to compile the names and staff numbers of the affected staff and to get the list endorsed by the heads or directors of the concerned staff to be forwarded to the CAG for necessary corrections to be made.
The Leadership commended the affected staff, who had wanted to stage a nationwide protest against CAG, for agreeing to put their decision on hold and urged them to continue to exercise restraint in these trying moments.
The leadership promised to hold discussions with the CAG on getting the issues resolve to the satisfaction of all, especially the union members concerned.
The leaders reiterated that they had forwarded to the CAG, the completed forms from January 2010 to December 2011 details of workers at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies who had opted to pay dues only to the LGWU following the creation of the Local Government Service, a situation, which saw some categories of civil servants being transferred to the Service.
“It therefore came to the union as a surprise that the CAG had to effect such deductions making it possible for the LGWU members affected not to enjoy the SSSP arrears paid in December with the aim of cushioning against any hardship”
