The Accra Regional Police Command of Ghana Police Service (GPS) has warned the public sector on a demonstration by the Aggrieved Public Sector Workers programed to take place Wednesday 18, 2021, in Accra.
This follows from discussions between the conveners of the demonstration and the Ghana Police Service (GPS).
“Infiltrators who may want to take undue advantage of the demonstration to foment trouble are cautioned to desist from such attempts since the Police will not hesitate to take necessary action to stop such acts.”
Ghana Police Press Release
According to a press release from the Ghana Police Service, “it has been agreed that the demonstration will commence from the Obra Spot through Kwame Nkrumah Avenue towards Farisco Traffic Light to Cedi House through AU Roundabout and then end at the Independence Square”.
The Accra Regional Police command announced to the public that, it will as a team, safeguard all the routes set aside for the event and also take the necessary procedures to ensure the security and safety of all demonstrators.
The Ghana Police Service urged the public specifically those living within the mentioned locations to cooperate with the police to ensure the success of this demonstration.
The Ghana Police Services advised all demonstrators and related organizers indulging in the demonstration to strictly abide by all Covid-19 protocols.
Demonstrating is a way to communicate our displeasure
Mr. Norbert Gborgbortsi who is a convener of the demonstration explained the rational behind the demonstration during an interview on an Accra based TV station. He indicated that, the demonstration is a way through which the ‘Aggrieved Public Sector Workers’ will express their dissatisfaction on the agreed 4 per cent wage increase for the public worker and also the 7 per cent that has been settled for the few years ahead.
“We think that government and our leaders have been unfair to public sector workers vis-à-vis the work and the other things that other public sectors workers do for [income]. We need to be rewarded more than the 4 per cent that has been given us”, Mr. Norbert averred.
Norbert Gborgbortsi
He also opined that the 4 per cent settlement for the public sector workers need to be reconsidered and renegotiated.
Mr. Gborgbortsi further indicated that, the ‘Aggrieved Public Sector Workers’ have exploited all possible ways of resolving their dissatisfaction towards the 4 per cent wage increment.
“As the Labor Act had it clear that, if a section of the people disagrees with an outcome of a negotiation, the labor body that represented them had to go back to that particular group, take details from them and go back to the table for renegotiation. So, we called on our leaders to do this, they never did”, Mr. Norbert disclosed.
Norbert Gborgbortsi
He also mentioned that, the ‘Aggrieved Public Sector Workers’ received no response in return after they wrote a letter to authorities in charge of the negotiation agenda. Meanwhile, they were expecting to have a meeting with the authorities but it was further declined.
Apart from expecting to have a meeting with them, Mr Norbert also mentioned that, the ‘Aggrieve Public Sector Workers’ decided to join the officials in charge for the wage increase agenda on a separate meeting to voice out what they want but they restricted them from entering.
As a result of all these failed attempts, a member of the ‘Aggrieved Public Sector Workers’ stated that was the reason they had to dwell on the demonstration to speak out their dissatisfaction.
He further announced that, there are going to be serious actions that will distort peace if the officials in charge of the negotiation remain obdurate.
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