Negativity over $1 allowance increment unfortunate – GAF

The Ghana Armed Forces has expressed disappointment about the negative reception by the public to the announcement of a  one dollar increase in the daily allowance for peacekeepers.

Government has come under a barrage of criticism following the announcement of the increment by President John Dramani Mahama at a durbar at the Burma camp in Accra on Thursday.

“Together with the armed forces council and the high command, we have decided to increase by one dollar a day the rate that is paid to peace keeping soldiers who go out,” President Mahama said.

Per the announcement, every Ghanaian peacekeeper on a United Nations (UN) mission is expected to benefit from the increase, and President Mahama expressed hope the increment would boost morale in the armed forces.

Several people have suggested that the one dollar increment, which brings the total amount to 31 dollars a day for each peacekeeper,  was negligible when compared with increases by previous governments.

The Armed Forces sought to clarify the issue in a statement signed by their Director Public Relations, stating that the increase had been made following an increment by the UN which amounted to just over one dollar.

According to them, the negativity which has greeted the increase was unfortunate as the government was only passing on the increments made by the UN to the soldiers.

“It is therefore unfortunate, the negative comments being circulated in a cross section of the media and on social media aimed at creating disaffection in respect of an otherwise genuine concern to promote troops welfare,” the statement said

“The Ghana Armed Forces acknowledges that peacekeeping allowances for troops have from time immemorial been increased by government in accordance with United Nations' periodic increments.  In this particular case, the $32.00 increment by the UN has virtually been passed on to troops.”

Find below, the full statement from the Armed Forces

MISCONCEPTION ABOUT INCREMENT IN PEACEKEEPING ALLOWANCE

The attention of the Ghana Armed Forces has been drawn to misconception and negative comments especially on social media in respect of the increment of peacekeeping allowances by $31.00 per month as announced by the President at an all ranks durbar in Burma Camp on Thursday 11 August 2016.

It must be noted that the monthly rate per soldier as paid by the United Nations since July 2014, had been pegged at $1,332.00 out of which $900.00 each was paid to the soldiers on a monthly basis with the remainder expended on pre-operational training activities which includes feeding, clothing, medicals and other logistics and ancillary services.

With effect from July 2016, the United Nations increased the monthly rate by $32.00 (approx.$1.06 per day) hence the decision by government to accordingly increase the monthly allowances to troops by $31.00 per month (approx $1.00 per day). Invariably, the increment by the United Nations has all been passed to the troops.

It is therefore unfortunate, the negative comments being circulated in a cross section of the media and on social media aimed at creating disaffection in respect of an otherwise genuine concern to promote troops welfare.

The Ghana Armed Forces acknowledges that peacekeeping allowances for troops have from time immemorial been increased by government in accordance with United Nations' periodic increments.  In this particular case, the $32.00 increment by the UN has virtually been passed on to troops.

The negative comments therefore being circulated intended to downplay the efforts in promoting troops welfare by government is in bad state and does not augur for the cohesion of the Ghana Armed Forces.

E AGGREY-QUASHIE
Colonel
Director Public Relations
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana