Labour Minister buys time to resolve pensions for angry State Attorneys

Labour Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, is pleading for more time to resolve issues of pensions for State Attorneys.

He told Joy News the resolution to the pensions controversy may take a while longer than 30, 60 or 90 days.

The Attorneys are threatening to go on strike if the government fails to resolve, among other things, their poor conditions of service and issues relating to their pensions.

They claim the government has failed to enroll them on a sustainable pensions scheme after they were withdrawn from the CAP 30 in favour of a new Pensions Act.

"Even though the Association has forwarded the SSNIT numbers of all its members to the legal service board as directed, till date no pension scheme has been put in place for state attorneys who were on the old CAP 30," the state attorneys protested.

The aggrieved attorneys are also unimpressed with their conditions of service.

“It is quite disheartening that over one year of negotiations no proper conditions of service have been implemented for State Attorneys.”

The Attorneys have threatened to go on strike on Friday if the government does not resolve their grievances.

Also unhappy with their conditions of service is the Judicial Service Staff Association (JUSSAG) who are threatening to go on strike.

Speaking to Joy News Editor Dzifa Bampoh, the Labour Minister Haruna Iddrisu said the government is committed to resolving the grievances of the workers in the judicial service and to maintain industrial peace and harmony.

He said the problems of the State Attorneys are in two folds.

"The first is the consolidated salary based on a ruling by a Labour Commission which is being effected by the government and that decision has been taken.

"The second leg of their request which is very legitimate has to do with pensions and deductions of pensions following the transition from CAP 30 to the implementation of the new Pensions Act.

"My assurance to them is that it is not a matter which can be resolved within the next 30, 60 or 90 days.

"We will need to get approval on pensions unifications which affect even the security agencies including the military and other security services," he stated.

He said even though the drafters of the Pensions Act gave a five-year moratorium for the Act to be implemented, the issue is before Cabinet for consideration after which it will be sent to Parliament for aspects of the Act to be grounded in law.

Haruna Iddrisu said the government will meet the aggrieved state attorneys tomorrow to consider the possibility of having their pensions deducted by the Accountant General's Department pending the passage of the Act.

On the issue of JUSSAG, the Labour Minister said progress has been made thus far in respect of resolving the conditions of service for the Judicial workers adding by tomorrow of Monday, the solution to the problem will be announced.

He called for good faith to ensure industrial harmony.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah