Some workers of the Bamenda City Council complained that the City Mayor, Paul Achombong, had planned to reduce salaries of workers by 50%.
Some workers who reached out to CNA and begged not to be named said they were informed that their salaries would be reduced and that those who did not want to receive the new scale, should resign.
After Cameroon News Agency posted the complaints, the Mayor organized a meeting with his staff on the Salary issues. He said the 2014 payment scale gave staff many opportunities but that it was later slashed because of the implementation of a 2023 reduction by the President.
‘In the looking of this harmonized scale, it was clear that most of these allowances and facilities which city council staff used to benefit were suppressed…some misguided and ill-informed Council staff took to the social media saying that the City Mayor has cut off their salaries…’ Paul told state media.
The Mayor said it is not the Council’s will to cut down the benefits. He also said those who attended
the meeting were happy.
But CNA got information that the staff were threatened and asked to write an apology letter and send it to the SDO of Mezam Division in the North West region.
‘He went ahead to ask our Staff Delegates to write a letter to the SDO on behalf of the staff to apologize that we are sorry is a mistake we made. It was horrible that the Mayor debunked it. He told us about laws and even said if the money is small we are free to resign.’ a worker anonymously revealed to CNA what happened during the meeting.
‘How will you our Mayor tell us that the salary scale that was signed some months ago by you, the SDO, and other administrators in a commission was a fake, and that is why you are cutting the salary.
We even thought he would tell us that it was because is the situation of the town but no, he turned us around with political words to give room for 3 questions and when the first person stood up he decided to make it difficult to ask questions so nobody could get up and ask, we are doomed. We
have nothing to do, we could not do anything, God alone will fight this battle for the staff.’
Source: Cameroon News Agency
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged Ghanaians to agree upon societal norms that should be passed down to future generations.
He said the task of nurturing children had been left to what they learned in schools, which was not good for development.
‘If we are to take pride in being Ghanaian, there should be a consensus on the values we hold dear, and we should transmit them to every generation,’ he stressed.
The President was addressing the 67th independence anniversary parade at Koforidua, in the Eastern Region.
He was particularly concerned that parents had delegated the responsibility for children’s upbringing to schools and teachers.
‘Too many parents have relinquished the entire responsibility of bringing up children to what happens in schools.
‘I do not refer only to our music, dance, food, language and fashion that form the basis of our cultural identity; I refer to the values that set us apart as Ghanaians,’ he said.
The President noted that the nation’s greatest problem remained providin
g high-quality education to all Ghanaian children and young people.
‘We have a lot to be proud of, but we have more work to do.
‘I am happy that, through the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, we are removing financial barriers to education, unlocking the potential of thousands of young Ghanaians, and laying the foundation for a brighter future for our country,’ he said.
President Akufo-Addo said it was imperative for every Ghanaian child to have the best education, as well as the skills and values to succeed in the world.
‘Our schools must prepare our children to be comfortable with Science and Technology, and ready to compete in the modern economy.
‘There is more to preparing a child to face the world than what can be taught in a classroom, and there is certainly more to moulding a Ghanaian child than what our hard-working teachers do every day,’ he said.
The theme for this year’s event was ‘Our Democracy, Our Pride.’
It was the seventh time the event was held outside of Accra.
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ource: Ghana News Agency
