The National Leadership of the Local Government Service Workers Union (LGSWU) of TUC-Ghana has commended government’s proactive response to the union’s appeal to include Environmental Health Officers at the Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the special COVID-19 package which was being enjoyed by other health workers.

It will be recalled that, the LGSWU leadership three months ago petitioned the Head of Local Government Service as well as the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, that the Environmental Health Officers at the MMDAs, are also critical frontline workers discharging their duties under strenuous condition in the burial of covid-19 corpses, yet they were not enjoying the special COVID-19 package that government announced for health workers.

“It is therefore heartening that the Head of Service and the sector Minster true to their words appreciated the position of the leadership of the LGSWU and gave the assurance to work with the relevant authorities so that the Environmental Health Officers can also benefit from the package which they also deserve”, a statement signed by the General Secretary, Godfred Nyarko Okyere stated.

“The positive and prompt response from the government in ensuring the inclusion of the Environmental Health Officers in the special COVID-19  package, indicate an acknowledgement of the critical role the Environmental Health officers are playing in the national fight to curtail the COVID-19 spread. The union believes the gesture is a great motivation for the beneficiaries to give of their best in discharging their duties”, it pointed out.  

The leadership of the union also extended its warmest gratitude to the Head of Local Government Service, Dr. Nana Ato Authur as well as the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Dan Botwe, and the relevant government agencies that facilitated the processes in getting the Environmental Health officers to receive the COVID-19 package.

“Despite the success made by the country in the fight against COVID-19, there are some worrying developments these days, especially, how some citizens are blatantly disregarding COVID-19 prevention protocols”, it said.

These unguarded behaviours it explained can undermine the national campaign against COVID-19, adding “the national leadership of the LGSWU will like to take the opportunity to urge Ghanaians not to lose guard and indulge in large gathering activities which can result in a spike in covid-19 infections, and bring pressure on the health sector professionals and also the country loosing precious human resources to the disease”.

The statement urged all and sundry to work in a manner that will enable the country to achieve zero COVID-19 death and also reduce the stress on the health care system which is already over-burdened with fellow citizens suffering from other health conditions.

“The LGSWU as partners in the national efforts at accelerating socio-economic and political development, is always ready to collaborate with all agencies to advance local governance for effective decentralization, which is key to fast-tracking  progress in the local communities.”

“We will continue to encourage government to work out more comprehensive incentives for staff of MMDAs, so that they will be highly motivated to enhance revenue mobilization to boost the Assemblies finances to implement  programmes and projects that will have qualitative impact on the standard of living of all Ghanaians especially the marginalized and vulnerable in the communities”, the statement further said.

It said the LGSWU believes that effective and efficient decentralization machinery coupled with the necessary better conditions of service for local government employees can bring about radical transformation of the MMDAs and by extension enhanced development at the grassroots.

“We hope for cordial working relations between the Chief Executives and key management staff of the MMDAs to advance the national development agenda because decentralization is important to attain that goal”, it concluded.