The Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission (NLC), Ofosu Asamoah, has stated that members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) will no longer embark on their intended strike.

He explained that this is due to the timely intervention of the NLC after a stakeholder meeting held on Wednesday, April 20.

The meeting was to address concerns over the non-payment of CLOGSAG’s neutrality allowance.

He told JoyNews the meeting was fruitful.

“There will be no strike going on tomorrow [April 21]. I have personally spoken to the CLOGSAG General Secretary; there is no strike.

“National executives have not mandated any strike and there is no strike tomorrow,” he stressed.

His comment comes after the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) announced its intention to embark on a strike from today, April 21 over government’s failure to pay its members their neutrality allowance.

The Association in a statement said the allowance formed part of a Memorandum of Understanding entered into with the government on January 20, 2022.

Despite official reminders and follow-ups to the Finance Ministry, payment of the allowance has not been effected after more than three months as agreed, CLOGSAG stated.

But according to Ofosu Asamoah, “the circular making rounds is that of the 5th of April. That was before the NLC intervention.”

“So, after the NLC intervention, there is no strike tomorrow [April 21],” he said.

Scrap neutrality allowance

Meanwhile, President of IMANI-Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has called for the immediate removal of the neutrality allowance paid to civil service workers.

According to him, the Constitution mandates civil servants to steer clear from partisan politics; hence, there is no legitimate basis for the institution of that scheme.

He described the allowance as fraudulent, saying it is entirely wrong for government to pay it.

In an interview with JoyNews, he noted that “it’s a fraudulent arrangement; you know the reason why I call it fraud.

“The whole idea behind civil service work or public service work is rooted in the principle of neutrality, anonymity and permanent. It is wrong; it definitely should be scrapped,” he noted.