‘Replacing Workers with Political Appointees Unacceptable’

The Minority in Parliament has admonished the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to end the era of sacking qualified workers in the public sector and filling those positions with political party appointees.

“Accordingly, we lend our voice to the demand of Organized Labour on government to end the specter of replacing public sector workers who are in their positions on account of merit with large numbers of Political Appointees and Special Assistants thus relegating highly experienced professionals to the background,” Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, indicated in a statement on 1 May 2018 to commemorate May Day.

The release said the the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament wishes to “salute the gallant workers of Ghana”.

The legislators used the occasion “to reiterate our unflinching solidarity for the working people of our beloved Ghana and assure the working class that we are partners in the joint struggle to eliminate oppressive working conditions that undermine the dignity of labour and hold back the realization of the full potentials of the working class”.

The statement explained that the Minority is in support “for the working people in their just demands on government to make the lives of working people both at their work places and homes more tolerable. In particular, we wish to join Organized Labour in demanding that Government respects the inalienable right of workers to security of tenure without undue harassment and political intimidation”.

“In a number of these cases, workers have either been rendered redundant or lost their jobs completely exposing them and their families to excruciating levels of hardship and misery. This is completely unacceptable!” the statement added.

They commended “the hardworking people of Ghana for continuously striving to deliver in very difficult and challenging circumstances”.

They urged workers to continue to give off their best and step up productivity in the supreme interest of the nation.

Source: ClassFMonline