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21.11.2005 Education

Ministry of Education watchmen unhappy

21.11.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Sunyani (B/A) Nov. 21, GNA - Members of Brong-Ahafo Education Service Watchmen Association have expressed indignation at the lukewarm attitude of officials of the regional education directorate towards addressing their grievances.

They expressed their anger when the regional director, Mrs. Akua Debrah, failed to honour their invitation to attend an extraordinary meeting scheduled for last Wednesday at Sunyani without giving any reasons for her absence.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Hilary Suurbelene, secretary of the association, expressed deep concern about the non-payment of overtime allowances to them.

He said the association wished that the overtime allowance would be paid through the Pay Voucher instead of the decentralization system in the districts.

Mr. Suurbelene noted that non-teaching staff of the GES were the main victims of "holiday denials" and yet received less incentive packages.

He said overtime of junior employees covered Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays and was equal to double time from Mondays to Fridays and expressed dissatisfaction with the amount paid, in lieu of 300,000 cedis and above quarterly.

He said morale among members had been drastically affected due to the absence of promotion in their system, saying some members of the association had been on the same salary for close to 25 years. "We have been denied sick and annual leave and we lack basic tools and equipment such as uniforms, whistles, raincoats, torch-lights, security boots and the like", the secretary added.

Mr. Suurbelene noted that the tools and equipment would help them to protect life and property in view of the increasing crime wave nation-wide.

He appealed to the Ministry of Education to come to their aid without delay.

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