This Is Obscene - Sammy Awuku

Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Awuku has questioned why government is able to give �big, big fat pay� to his ministers while doctors and teachers agitate for their salaries. According to him, the NDC-led government �has created an animal farm situation where it is only government and its ministers who are receiving fat pays.� Awuku attributed the many strike actions to the fact that labour organisations are convinced that the government is taking them for a �fool� because there is money which government can use in paying them. �Government says there is no money yet they find money to give their ministers and deputy ministers four years back-dated pay. If the workers are watching and listening, knowing that they have arrears to be paid, don�t you think they will go on strike? They will not be willing to sacrifice�this is obscene. Government officials are receiving big, big, fat pays and you are paying other workers in trenches; asking them to sacrifice�� he posited. The NPP Dep Communications Director further rubbished reports that his party is behind the numerous strike actions that have hit the nation. Tuesday�s edition of the Daily Post newspaper had as its banner headline: �Money Galore! As NPP splashes millions of cedis on some leaders of striking doctors & teachers� In debunking the story, Sammy Awuku posited that if the NDC, the ruling party can allow the opposition to control a chunk of the leadership of the labour front, then the government is useless. Contributing to panel discussions on Peace FM�s morning show, Kokrokoo with host Kwami Sefa-Kayi, he slammed some government appointees and party activists who waded into the debate of the strike action describing their comments as unhealthy which have the probability of inflaming passions. �The utterances of government communicators makes it difficult for those on strike to even call off their action and to return to their various jobs. I do not see an end in sight if NDC and its communicators continue to tow the line they have embarked on,� he added.