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The civil and local government staff association(CLOSAG) is blessed with another year and they hope to celebrate 2021Christmas in honour of the holy ghost.
“With the bleak cloud of Covid 19 and it’s variants hanging menacingly over our heads and the accompanying phycological trauma, little did we think that we shall soar over the clouds and move into another year” he lamented.
Speaking at the end of year thanksgiving service, the executive secretary of CLOSAG Mr.Isaac Bampoe Addo hinted that while ensuring visibility of Closag in all districts and regions the association is saddled with “equality and freedom from discrimination against it members”. 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.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 pointed out.
According to him, 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 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?he questioned.
Mr Bampoe Addo reiterated to the fact that if this is not discrimination then what else can they define discrimination? CLOSAG demands that the government shows impartiality in dealing with issues affecting the delivery of service within both the Civil and Local Government Service as regards neutrality and political interference.
Indeed, political interference is an abuse of power that should be penalized.
The Government is enjoined to take steps to eradicate abuse of power and promote political tolerance.
” Let’s us avert our minds to Article 34(8)&(9) that reads as follows: The state shall take steps to eradicate corrupt practice’s and the abuse of power. The state shall promote among the people of Ghana the culture of political tolerance”he mentioned.
He said CLOSAG, by this call,is asking for equity and fairness in the governance of their dear country.
The “I cannot work with you syndrome, I am the Minister and, therefore, I have the power to post and transfer officers within the Civil Service and the Local Government Service” should give way to the appropriate institutions to perform their legitimate functions.
These aberrations of the procedures in the services are affecting efficient service delivery and urgent steps should be taken to bring about tolerance in dealing with such situations.
He noted that this year’s Annual Christmas message is urging members to be steadfast, tolerant, law abiding and neutral in their duties and trust the association to fight for their freedoms.
By Joseph Nana Yaw Cobbina
