Economist Prof Stephen Adei is urging government to sack all striking members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG).
According to him, the Association’s request for neutrality allowance is unacceptable and unethical.
“It is the worst I can ever think of as someone who has worked was in the public sector for 35 years. I can’t conceptualise it.
“These are people who should be sacked, and they can apply [again] or stay at home, and I assure you that Ghana will be better off,” he said.
The workers laid down their tools about a week ago to protest the non-payment of the controversial neutrality allowance.
On Wednesday, the National Labour Commission (NLC) gave the Association two days to work out its issues with the government.
But even before that deadline elapses, Prof Adei on JoyNews’ Upfront insists government should replace them with the military with the hope of laying them off permanently.
“If I were government, I would lock them out and then bring in the military to take care of emergencies,” he stressed.
Though government has agreed to civil service workers’ demands, the Economist insists the move is tantamount to bribery.
“They are acting like ‘I can demand my pound of flesh’. I don’t think they can take Ghanaians for a ride to say that they have to be paid in the first place. And for the government to have done, that is wrong.
“We are in a national crisis, and life is difficult, I have no doubt at all. But for the government to agree to pay this is bribery.”
Prof Adei is the latest renowned individual to reject the request of CLOGSAG.
Since it became public knowledge that civil service workers are demanding an allowance to be neutral, many Ghanaians have criticised the idea.
Notable amongst them is the President of IMANI-Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, who described it as a fraudulent arrangement that should be scrapped.
Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) Emmanuel Akwetey said it is unethical for civil servants to ask for such an allowance.
He also maintained that any public servant interested in politics should resign.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
