Veterinary Technicians Threaten Strike …Over Unpaid Allowance

Veterinary paraprofessionals also known as veterinary technicians across the country have threatened to embark on strike action in the coming weeks if government fails to pay them their additional work allowances.

President of the group, Emmanuel Eshun said their pleas for the payment of the allowances have fallen on deaf ears for the past four years.

He said allowances due other professionals in the veterinary sector had been paid but strangely that of the veterinary paraprofessionals, whose monthly salaries are very low, had been ignored.

'The leadership of the veterinary paraprofessionals have since 2011 been in discussions with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on the matter of interim market premium after our omission from the health workers beneficiaries.

'That of our colleague health workers, elsewhere including veterinary surgeons in the veterinary services have been granted,' Mr. Eshun stated during a meeting of the veterinary paraprofessionals in Kumasi.

He stated that 'we cannot in the spirit of equity and fairness grant interim Market Premium to veterinary surgeons and deservingly so and leave out the veterinary paraprofessionals.'

Mr. Eshun said that his group would hoist red flags for one week and gradually withdraw their services if their allowances are not paid.

He indicated that owing to low salaries of veterinary paraprofessionals, several of their members, notably degree holders, have left the service to join mainstream agric.

Mr. Eshun said the veterinary para professionals carry out laboratory services, vaccine production and quarantine activities at the country's borders to prevent live animals infected with diseases from entering the country, among others.

'If we decide to strike, citizenry could consume unwholesome meat, animals with diseases could enter the country through the borders and vaccine production and laboratory services could come to a halt and government would lose revenue, he indicated.

In the best interest of the country, Mr. Eshun admonished the FWSC to, as a matter of urgency, pay all allowances due veterinary paraprofessionals so that they would continue with their good works for Ghana.

He bemoaned the non-payment of allowances and the low salaries being paid to veterinary para professionals, stressing the need for government to meet their demands.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi