A teachers’ grouping, Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), has taken issue with a development regarding the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).
The anomalous development, according to the grouping, is contained in a document said to emanate from the Secretariat of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), adding that in view of the poor management of the SSSS by their representatives, they should resign forthwith from their positions.
“We are giving GNAT leadership, especially the General Secretary, Madam Irene Duncan Adenusa, the National President, Paul Apanga, and the Deputy General Secretary in charge of labour relations, Mr. Awotwe Nkansah, one week to resign honourably.”
Giving grounds for the call at a press conference in Accra, spokesperson for the President of CCT, Ernest Opoku, said that the current leadership of GNAT had performed abysmally, adding that their actions and inactions before and after the implementation of the SSSS gave grounds to call for their resignation.
Opoku further observed that the leadership of GNAT was superintending over a constitution full of undemocratic provisions, under which “they seek to protect their own selfish interests to the detriment of the members, especially article 32 and 44 of GNAT constitution”.
He elaborated that “CCT has come to the realization that their continuous stay in office by GNAT executives means teachers will not get anything good in terms of remuneration, using the SSSS negotiation as a yardstick.”
The group however cautioned government not to be deceived by the call for GNAT executives to resign, but rather to be on the lookout as “we are telling government through the National Labour Commission that the CCT is waiting patiently to be called to justify the proposal we sent to them.”
The spokesperson was also quick to note that the group had, through their struggle, made some achievements.
“National Labour Commission has tasked Ghana Education Service to work on all promotions locked up for years; they also tasked fair wages commission to remove the tax component on the retention premium by the end of June 2011,” he noted.
He added, “With one voice, one spirit and one united front, the better conditions of service for teachers, now or never slogan, is achievable”, he reiterated.
Monday, June 27, 2011
China Medical Team Supports Korle-Bu
MEMBERS OF a Chinese medical team undertaking a clinical exchange programme at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) have donated some medical equipment to the hospital.
The items worth $134,166 include a testing machine, monitors, spina and general surgery instrument, foreign body forceps, nephroscope, syringe, infusion and medical injection pumps and a pneumatic stock type.
Professor Wei Jian Rui, a cardiologist and the team’s leader, said the donation was meant to meet the medical requirements for treatment of patients at the hospital.
He added that through their work at the hospital, the team identified the lack of certain instruments hence the donation by the Chinese government.
He therefore urged the KBTH Neurological Department to transfer and install the equipments as quickly as possible saying “I know there are people waiting for their cases to be treated.”
Chinese Counselor to Ghana, Gao Wenzhi, who presented the items on behalf of the team, noted that without good health, people will not be strong and contribute to the prosperity of the nation.
He also observed that at the recent Beijing Summit, the Chinese government as part of its support, dispatched groups of medical teams to Africa and that Ghana is one of the beneficiary countries.
“The team consists of medical experts of high medical qualifications who have worked together with other doctors in Korle-Bu for a year and a half.”
He therefore hoped that the instruments will strengthen the medical capabilities of the hospital as health care improves.
“I hope that KBTH will play bigger roles in medical services for patients not only in Ghana but also in West Africa,” he added.
The Board Chairman of KBTH, Professor Seth Aryeetey, on behalf of the government, thanked the team for their donation.
He said Ghana’s relationship with China had grown into a fruitful one elaborating that the benefits to be derived from the donation was worth more than the money spent on it.
“It is going to translate into helping the men, women and children who will be treated so that they can become strong and productive citizens of Ghana,” he noted.
The Chief Executive Officer of KBTH, Professor Nii Otu Nartey who was touched by the presentation, expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for the donation.
He said, “They have took notice of our plight and challenges and have brought these things. This is going to improve significantly on the kind of work we do here.”
He charged others to emulate the example of the Chinese medical team adding, “If other groups follow, then we can significantly solve the problems of KBTH.”
The items worth $134,166 include a testing machine, monitors, spina and general surgery instrument, foreign body forceps, nephroscope, syringe, infusion and medical injection pumps and a pneumatic stock type.
Professor Wei Jian Rui, a cardiologist and the team’s leader, said the donation was meant to meet the medical requirements for treatment of patients at the hospital.
He added that through their work at the hospital, the team identified the lack of certain instruments hence the donation by the Chinese government.
He therefore urged the KBTH Neurological Department to transfer and install the equipments as quickly as possible saying “I know there are people waiting for their cases to be treated.”
Chinese Counselor to Ghana, Gao Wenzhi, who presented the items on behalf of the team, noted that without good health, people will not be strong and contribute to the prosperity of the nation.
He also observed that at the recent Beijing Summit, the Chinese government as part of its support, dispatched groups of medical teams to Africa and that Ghana is one of the beneficiary countries.
“The team consists of medical experts of high medical qualifications who have worked together with other doctors in Korle-Bu for a year and a half.”
He therefore hoped that the instruments will strengthen the medical capabilities of the hospital as health care improves.
“I hope that KBTH will play bigger roles in medical services for patients not only in Ghana but also in West Africa,” he added.
The Board Chairman of KBTH, Professor Seth Aryeetey, on behalf of the government, thanked the team for their donation.
He said Ghana’s relationship with China had grown into a fruitful one elaborating that the benefits to be derived from the donation was worth more than the money spent on it.
“It is going to translate into helping the men, women and children who will be treated so that they can become strong and productive citizens of Ghana,” he noted.
The Chief Executive Officer of KBTH, Professor Nii Otu Nartey who was touched by the presentation, expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for the donation.
He said, “They have took notice of our plight and challenges and have brought these things. This is going to improve significantly on the kind of work we do here.”
He charged others to emulate the example of the Chinese medical team adding, “If other groups follow, then we can significantly solve the problems of KBTH.”
NHIS Law under review
THE CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Sylvester Mensah, has observed that there will soon be a law to allow the scheme to operate as an independent legal entity with regards to accountability and efficiency.
“The law under review has been gazetted and submitted to parliament,” he added.
Addressing a delegation from Congo Brazzaville, the CEO admitted that the scheme had gone through some challenges. “We don’t have a perfect system but what is good is that we have a good political system,” he said.
He explained that the system is facing expenditure challenges as the outflows are exceeding inflows, adding that claim payments account for more than 75 per cent of total income generated from taxes and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
“GH¢394.27 million representing 76.2 per cent was used as payments of claims for the year 2010,” he noted.
He noted that the insurance covers up to 95% of health related issues in the country but cautioned the Congolese government not to go that far as that country is new in that area.
Mr. Mensah also observed that the scheme is undertaking some strategies in order to ensure universal health care coverage for all Ghanaians.
“With the consolidated premium account as well as the claims processing center that the scheme has created, all premiums collected is now managed at the district level,” he said.
Mr. Mensah stated that the system currently operates on three schemes: district mutual scheme, private mutual scheme and private commercial scheme, adding that the objective of the service is securing the provision of basic healthcare services to persons resident in Ghana.
He was hopeful that there will soon be a time when foreigners will have to provide health insurance coverage before being accepted into the country.
The delegation lead by Sinibagoy Nollet Bayi, lauded the Ghanaian authorities for sustaining the system and also being able to achieve such a height in the health sector adding that this informed the team’s visit.
“We have come as a result of the fact that the Congolese government is putting up health insurance for all and because Ghana has been in it since 2003, we have come to know how it is faring with regards to challenges and satisfaction.”
He also commended the NHIS for a good relationship between the various intuitions operating under it.
Commenting on the one-time premium payment, Mr. Mensah said that although it will face challenges, it will help generate stock that can go into investment. “We have conducted a consumer survey and it has shown that people are willing to join the one time premium system,” he said
“The law under review has been gazetted and submitted to parliament,” he added.
Addressing a delegation from Congo Brazzaville, the CEO admitted that the scheme had gone through some challenges. “We don’t have a perfect system but what is good is that we have a good political system,” he said.
He explained that the system is facing expenditure challenges as the outflows are exceeding inflows, adding that claim payments account for more than 75 per cent of total income generated from taxes and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
“GH¢394.27 million representing 76.2 per cent was used as payments of claims for the year 2010,” he noted.
He noted that the insurance covers up to 95% of health related issues in the country but cautioned the Congolese government not to go that far as that country is new in that area.
Mr. Mensah also observed that the scheme is undertaking some strategies in order to ensure universal health care coverage for all Ghanaians.
“With the consolidated premium account as well as the claims processing center that the scheme has created, all premiums collected is now managed at the district level,” he said.
Mr. Mensah stated that the system currently operates on three schemes: district mutual scheme, private mutual scheme and private commercial scheme, adding that the objective of the service is securing the provision of basic healthcare services to persons resident in Ghana.
He was hopeful that there will soon be a time when foreigners will have to provide health insurance coverage before being accepted into the country.
The delegation lead by Sinibagoy Nollet Bayi, lauded the Ghanaian authorities for sustaining the system and also being able to achieve such a height in the health sector adding that this informed the team’s visit.
“We have come as a result of the fact that the Congolese government is putting up health insurance for all and because Ghana has been in it since 2003, we have come to know how it is faring with regards to challenges and satisfaction.”
He also commended the NHIS for a good relationship between the various intuitions operating under it.
Commenting on the one-time premium payment, Mr. Mensah said that although it will face challenges, it will help generate stock that can go into investment. “We have conducted a consumer survey and it has shown that people are willing to join the one time premium system,” he said
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Google Rewards School Kids
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
Google Ghana has announced ten year-old Nil Carreras Del Peso and twelve year-old Nana Abena Asabea Ametepe as winners of the second edition of the Doodle for Google competition in Accra.
Nil Carreras Del Peso from the French received a kindle for winning the 9-11 age group competition while Nana Abena Asabea Ametepe from the Golden Age School received a laptop as her prize for wining the 12-14 age group.
The winners will also have their doodles on the home page of Google Ghana on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th June respectively for the whole day.
The schools of the winners were also rewarded with a USD 2000 technology grant each.
The winners beating off strong competition in their respective age categories designed doodles around the Google logo based on the theme, “My Ghana” with supporting statement explaining their design choice.
The doodles were judged by a panel of judges who selected the finalist based on artistic merit, creativity and the representation of this year’s theme.
Commenting on the competition, Estelle Akofio-sowah one of the judges and Google Ghana Country lead said that this year’s competition received a record number of entries, “a record 133% increase on last year.”
She elaborates, ‘the fact that we received more than double the number of entries from last year’s competition, demonstrates that children when encouraged are willing and able to rise to the challenge.”
She further explained that the standard of entries was outstanding as it clearly showed a huge amount of pride and excitement among the young people in Ghana.
The future of Ghana in the hands of these young people is clearly bright”, she affirmed.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
Google Ghana has announced ten year-old Nil Carreras Del Peso and twelve year-old Nana Abena Asabea Ametepe as winners of the second edition of the Doodle for Google competition in Accra.
Nil Carreras Del Peso from the French received a kindle for winning the 9-11 age group competition while Nana Abena Asabea Ametepe from the Golden Age School received a laptop as her prize for wining the 12-14 age group.
The winners will also have their doodles on the home page of Google Ghana on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th June respectively for the whole day.
The schools of the winners were also rewarded with a USD 2000 technology grant each.
The winners beating off strong competition in their respective age categories designed doodles around the Google logo based on the theme, “My Ghana” with supporting statement explaining their design choice.
The doodles were judged by a panel of judges who selected the finalist based on artistic merit, creativity and the representation of this year’s theme.
Commenting on the competition, Estelle Akofio-sowah one of the judges and Google Ghana Country lead said that this year’s competition received a record number of entries, “a record 133% increase on last year.”
She elaborates, ‘the fact that we received more than double the number of entries from last year’s competition, demonstrates that children when encouraged are willing and able to rise to the challenge.”
She further explained that the standard of entries was outstanding as it clearly showed a huge amount of pride and excitement among the young people in Ghana.
The future of Ghana in the hands of these young people is clearly bright”, she affirmed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)