Some executives members of the union
The Local Government Workers Union has appealed to the Minister of Local Government & Rural Development to make a definite public pronouncement on the fate of graduates from the three schools of hygiene regarding their employment.
The union, in a pre-May Day statement issued yesterday signed by Joe Boahen, General Secretary, noted that the investment made in the training of the afore-stated was going waste because they had not been employed to contribute their quota in improving the environment in the cities, towns and villages.
‘We must emphasize that the situation does not speak well of Ghana’s status as an emerging middle-income country because there was no clear policy as to when these Environmental Health officers will be given their appointment letters. In case their services are not needed, then it would be better to suspend the training of more students so that they do not add onto the number of graduates currently at home.’
The local workers said they were in solidarity with the students who after graduation have remained jobless for more than three years.
‘As a union, we are disappointed to hear media reports that the petitions from the graduates drawing attention to their plight have not been given the needed attention from the Ministries of Local Government & Rural Development, Finance & Economic Planning, Employment & Labour Relations and the Local Government Service.
‘We cannot understand why the Government, which continues to commit resources for the training at the Schools of Hygiene, should not be seen expressing grave concern about the employment issue of the graduates. We should not allow the resources committed into the training at the Schools of Hygiene to go down the drain.’
They also advised property owners to voluntarily pay their rate so that district assemblies would provide infrastructure like good road network, supply of potable water, efficient waste disposal system and modern market structures.
The union further reminded staff at the MMDAs that there cannot be proper development if MMDA staff connive with members of the public to encroach on state lands with impunity.
‘The LGWU fully supports the street-naming exercises at the MMDAs and hope it will help provide relevant database for property rate collection and also facilitate easy directional guide to members of the public, especially to visitors,’ it added.
By Samuel Boadi
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