According to them, despite being entitled to about 800 million cedis of the total debt owed contractors, most of them have not received any payments from the government for almost two years.

[contextly_sidebar id=”X73SVjJqptIrEmNJKWGisrvOjudTTdPA”]Speaking at Wednesday’s Media Encounter marking his first year in office, President Akufo-Addo had said that his government had settled most of the arrears owed contractors which were accrued under the previous administration, and was working towards ensuring that the remaining debts are cleared soon.

“I’m being urged to pay contractors, I’m paying them. In 2017, nearly one billion cedis of which the government of Ghana provided three hundred odd million and the Road Fund provided some 660 million of the 1.6 billion owed road contractors was cleared. In January this year, we have dispersed 125 million out of the remainder of 600 million to the contractors,” Nana Addo said.

“Additionally, we have paid 826 million of the 1.2 billion loan contracted by the previous administration for which the Road Fund was used as collateral. It is important to note that all these debts were accrued under the previous administration. I will also point out that much of the statutory arrears that we met have been cleared.”

However, responding to those claims by the President on Eyewitness News, the head of the GETFund contractors, Daniel Tanoh, said  contrary to what the President told the media, many of the claims that had been submitted for payment had not been honoured.

“GETFund contractors do not agree with what the President said. It’s not true that GETFund has paid even one-fourth of what the President said. For that reason we disagree with what the President said. The Ministry of Finance is supposed to give money to GETFund to pay contractors. As I speak, since July 2016 till date, those that have placed their claims to GETFund have not received their payments,” he said.

According to him, the government, when it first assumed office in January 2018, made a few payments to contractors, but the negligible amounts released at the time failed to cover the 800 million cedis owed them.

“ GETFund contractors are expecting almost 800 million out of the 1.6 million, and since 2016, there are some claims that have not been catered for. When the new administration came into office, they made three payments. They selected a few [of the claims] – the 50, 000 15, 000, 20, 000 – many of those were paid leaving the huge ones. I can say with all confidence that a few contractors were paid but majority of them were not,” he insisted.

‘Sad day for contractors’

Daniel Tanoh stated that, since the President announced that the contractors had been paid, they had come under intense pressure from creditors who were also demanding payment.

He added that they had written to the management of GETFund for a meeting to discuss how best to resolve their challenges.

“After what the President said, we’ve started receiving calls from our creditors. If the President is saying they have paid contractors, then why are we not paying those we owe.? Today is a very sad day for contractors. We are not happy,” he lamented.

“We have presented a notice to the administrator of GETFund that on Tuesday January 23 at 10:00 am, the leadership of the GETFund contractors will be meeting him to see the way forward as to how our payment issues will go. If GETFund were not owing contractors, I don’t think we’d have such letters.”

–
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’ve not been paid – GETFund contractors contradict Nana Addo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They are also demanding the payment of their allowances which are in arrears.

Members of the Association are livid over what they say is the calculated attempt to delay the posting of three batches of veterinary doctors.

About forty-five of the affected doctors are also yet to receive their allowances after completing their housemanship in 2016.

The Treasurer of the Association, Dr. Emmanuel Koduah, told Citi News a further delay will compel them to resort to other legal means to get their grievances addressed.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3AgHUJyBSQAmntUn6hmI5fWJGewVXhtp”]“They are supposed to give us our license but they are aloof . They are not responding to anything just because they felt that we threatened them that if they do not respond to us , we will hit the courts about the whole issue. The leaders of the Council became angry that we wanted to exercise our franchise.”

“We wrote a letter to them and they told us that yes, we have a case, but our letter was not strong enough. We are not giving any ultimatum, but they should act with dignity. They should respect the position and call the doctors involved and post them.”

Attempts to get a response from the Veterinary Council and the Agric Ministry have so far been unsuccessful.

Ghana has only 32 practicing veterinary doctors – Council

It appears the Veterinary Council has been battling with a few challenges for sometime now.

The Veterinary Council of Ghana had earlier appealed to the government to resource the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Veterinary Medicine, to improve its infrastructure and faculty to advance veterinary training, research and healthcare delivery.

Dr. Jonathan Amakye-Anim, Chairman of the Council, said this was urgent since the country currently had only 32 certified practicing veterinary doctors.

He said at least 200 of such practitioners were needed to enhance effective veterinary care for the benefit of the nation.

Dr. Amakye-Anim, who was addressing an oath-swearing and induction ceremony for the School of Medical Sciences, Dental School and the School of Veterinary Medicine of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, called for a change in attitude towards veterinary education.

“About 70 per cent of all human diseases emanates from animals,” he noted, stressing that given the current shortage of veterinary doctors, it would be difficult for the country to effectively deal with the emerging challenges such as the outbreak of more sophisticated animal-related diseases.

Frustrated jobless Doctor writes to Citi FM, cries over neglect

Aside veterinary doctors, some trained, but unemployed doctors have questioned the efforts of the Health and Finance Ministries in absorbing them into the public service.

Some 245 doctors, who graduated in 2014, indicated that all efforts to secure financial clearance for their absorption have proved futile, while many hospitals lack doctors, putting the lives of patients at risk.

In a heartfelt petition to Citi News to highlight their plight, a doctor, John-Diego Kosoe, lamented the dire situation of his colleagues who are idle.

This, according to Mr. Kosoe has even compelled some doctors to leave Ghana for greener pastures.

The petitioner noted that, “out of frustration, I know 3 of my colleagues who contracted huge personal loans and left the country for Germany, just to hustle out there, to do German language courses and get absorbed into their system.”

–

By: Marian Ansah & Pius Amihere Duku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Veterinary doctors demand payment of arrears, postings appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Over 11,000 teachers have been served promotion letters, but government has decided not to pay them their arrears dating back to September 1, 2015.

Speaking to Citi News on Wednesday, the peeved Central Regional Chairman of NAGRAT, Bright Bedzra, indicated that “for years now, these things have started; you have gained promotion and they (the Ghana Education Service) will state that only notionally and substantively.”

“We feel strongly and we shall keep feeling strongly that this is cheating on the teacher. Promotion is a requisite, and it’s a legitimate right every employer in the GES must go through. And the law is that, once you go through, you are promoted, dated the day you are promoted. Why this notional thing? I think government is just buying time to take part of our money, and it’s not coming to us, and we need to bite very well on this.”

Teachers across the country have been complaining about the decision after receiving their promotion letters early May, a copy of which has been seen by Citi News.

The letter, among other information, reads: “This promotion takes effect from 1st September 2015, but you will be placed on your current rank effective 1st April, 2017”.

This arrangement by government is what has angered the teachers, and they are incensed at their union leaders who are said to have been party to the decision by government.

However, Mr. Bright Bedzrah has indicated that, regional, district and local NAGRAT leaders “are yet to receive full briefing” on the situation.

He reminded teachers that “we are a labour union; we will speak for them and whatever will come out of that, they (teachers) will hear.”

He has thus appealed to the teachers affected to exercise restraint.
–
By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NAGRAT members angry over non-payment of arrears after promotion appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Their action is to put pressure on government to fast-track processes to pay them the monies, which have been in arrears since last academic year.

GRASAG earlier this month planned to picket at the Flagstaff House over their concerns, but called it off to further engage the government in addressing their concerns.

However, the association says government did not adequately address their concerns hence the demonstration.

According to a statement signed by the President of the Association, Rashid Kwesi Etuaful, and copied to citifmonline.com, their meetings with the Scholarship Secretariat and the Ministry of Education to have the payments initiated have proved futile.

The demonstrators will march from the Obra Spot through Nkrumah Avenue, Kinbu SHS – Tema Station – Atta Mills High Street to the Hearts of Oak Park (Art Centre), where a press conference will be held before a petition is submitted to the Ministry of Finance and the President through the Chief of Staff.

The statement said the action will commence at the Obra Spot, Kwame Nkrumah Circle at 7:30am.

‘USAG endorse GRASAG action’

The University Students Association of Ghana (USAG), endorsed the Graduate Students Association of Ghana’s (GRASAG) decision to picket at the Flagstaff House. They said GRASAG’s action was in the right direction to demand what is due them to be paid with immediate effect.”

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GRASAG to demonstrate today over bursaries, thesis grants appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.