INTRODUCTION
The leadership of the Health Services Workers' Union of TUC (Ghana) congratulates the entire membership of the Union on the occasion of the 2020 Union's Week Celebration. HSWU salutes health workers in Ghana for your sacrifices and hard work which have promoted healthcare delivery in the country in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In commemoration of the 2020 Union's week celebration, the Health Services Workers' Union of TUC (Ghana) salutes all of its past leaders, existing and past members and other health workers as they risk their lives to save others who have contracted the virus. We also wish to express our deepest condolences to the bereaved families of our fallen heroes who lost their lives in the quest to fighting this pandemic. May their departed souls rest in perfect peace. We are reminding Government to make good of its commitment to settle these families who lost their loved ones and those who were infected while performing their legitimate duties.
This year has been a difficult one, with COVID-19 casting a shadow on the world and it is important to commend the Government for the tireless efforts made to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 since Ghana recorded its first case in March 2020. Admittedly, the drop in the COVID-19 infection rate is a sign that the measures adopted are working. Despite the positive results, the Union cautions the government and the general public not to be complacent but strengthen and enforce the safety protocols to ensure that the challenges associated with COVID-19 are fully mitigated.
Drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union would like to encourage the government to invest massively in the Public Health System of Ghana in line with the Abuja declaration where African Union countries met and pledged to set a target of allocating at least 15% of annual budget to improve the health sector.
The Union during its 2019 Union's week celebration asked if the lump-sum benefits to be paid to retirees in 2020 under the tier 2 arrangements, would be at par, better or worse than the existing SSNIT Pension Scheme. This led to several debates and castigation by some groups. Reports received from some members who have retired show that the lump-sum benefit received from the 2nd Tier Pension arrangements in comparison with the benefits under the Social Security Law, 1991, (PNDCL 247 of 1991), is low. The paramount aim for instituting the Three (3) Tier Pension Scheme under Act 766 has not been realized. Retirees have rather been made worse off. HSWU joins the call by TUC (Ghana) for Government to immediately convene a stakeholder meeting to discuss the issues and resolve them without delay.
Many of our retired members deposited their meager retirement benefits into Gold Coast Fund Management, hoping to derive substantial returns to augment their low pension income. However, because of the financial clean-up exercise by the Government, a lot of these Pensioners have their funds locked up and are suffering or deceased. The hope of those living was restored when the Government promised to pay depositors who had their funds locked-up. Nonetheless, the validation of customers from Gold Coast Fund Management, has been embroiled in some controversies. The Union is overwhelmed with calls from the retired members for help. Proclaimed as an elderly friendly Union, we are pleading with Government to validate and pay these pensioners as soon as possible, taking into consideration the life expectancy of Ghanaians. "When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers". We believe the government would surely heed to our plea looking at the exceptional services rendered by these retired health workers
Indeed, the over-engagement of many health workers as IGF staff in several public health institutions across the country for decades now without mechanizing them, has been a major concern and we are therefore pleading with Government to consider mechanizing these IGF Staff.
The biggest task that the Union is expected to accomplish within the year, is the impending 12th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference which is usually preceded by the ongoing Regional Delegates Conferences. The National Leadership of the Union, wishes the Regional Councils peaceful and successful elections. Thank you very much.
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