Dr Justice Yankson, Deputy General Secretary of the GMA
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has served notice it will respond to the ruling given by an Accra Fast Track High Court against the payment of the Conversion Difference from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
The Association did not give a timeline but indicated that it would at ‘the appropriate time’, according to the Deputy General Secretary of the GMA, Dr Justice Yankson; their response would be ‘in equal measure.’
‘We are satisfied with whatever the court has said. We are going to respond and our response is going to be of equal measure.’
The GMA described as ‘sad’ the circumstances leading to the ruling by the Court and further alleged that the state hired ‘private lawyers, external solicitors’ to handle the matter while the National Labour Commission (NLC) failed to appear in court.
An Accra Fast Track High Court has ruled in favour of the Fair Wages Commission (FWSC) over the non-payment of Conversion Difference to the doctors. The Labour Commission had earlier directed the FWSC to pay the Conversion Difference but it rather filed an application to quash that directive, to which the court agreed.
The Court made the ruling on Tuesday and also ruled against the NLC’s earlier directive to the FWSC asking them to pay the Conversion Difference to members of the GMA.
Explaining the effects of the ruling on the GMA, Dr Yankson said, ‘The Ghana Medical Association and its members have their pensions reduced; we don’t take ex-gratia, the law says that shouldn’t happen.’
The Ghana Medical Association is blaming the National Labour Commission for its latest unfavourable ruling, saying the Labour Commission put in a weak defence.
The Conversion Difference is one of the major fringe benefits that the medical fraternity has been enjoying in the past, but the current ruling brings an end to the age-long benefit.
By Raphael Ofori-Adeniran
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