President john Mahama’s recent outburst on the strike by members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) at a time when both parties, the government and GMA are both at the negotiation table is very unfortunate and a minus from someone who is considered as a Communication expert.
Moreover, it gives the impression that the Flagstaff House supports what Stan Dogbe, a President Staffer, did by posting on the social media the purported demands of the doctors and will not in any stretch of imagination chastise the staffer.
We think the president should have used the opportunity he had to humbly appeal to the conscience of the aggrieved doctors and apologize on behalf of his protégé Stan Dogbe and assure the doctors that the presidential Staffer would be dealt with for breaching the Memorandum of Understanding government signed with the doctors (MOU).
But on the contrary, the President exhibited more of his ‘dead goat’ attitude and demands the doctor’s agitation that he will not authorize any payments to the striking workers because it will cause imbalances in the budget.
According to president Mahama “any agreements that are reached in respect of allowances or conditions of services would have to be appropriately captured in the budget.”
He continued: “And I want to say for emphasis, I will not authorize any expenditure on wages and compensation not provided for in the budget. Fiscal discipline requires that not a single pesewa is spent on remuneration outside what has been budgeted for and this goes for both Article 71 Office holders and those on the single spine.”
But the President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Kwabena Adusei-Poku rightly exposed the President that President Mahama does not understand the issues because he has not been briefed well by those negotiating on behalf of government.
According to Dr. Adusei, “We are not saying our demand should be factored in the 2015 budget: we are rather saying our demands should be factored in the 2016 budget.
So the President acted as if what these professional workers are asking for is illegally, not budgeted for and they are doing so for their selfish interest. Sad!
We believe the arrogance of the president and his officials at display will not help the situation. The father for all posters that should be exhibited by president Mahama is missing and only few people are seen as the sons and daughters of the President.
The health sector is in serious mess and drastic actions with prudent measures must be taken to save the situation.
Source: The Ghanaian Observer
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