ICU strike begins to bite as bank workers join
Operate within approved limits - Tuffuor
Ugandan government delegation to study Ghana's water sector
ICU strike begins to bite as bank workers join
Accra (Greater Accra) 1 Feb. 2000
The five-day strike called by the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) began to bite on Tuesday as many branches of commercial banks in Accra closed their doors to the public.
Hundreds of angry customers, however, insisted that all the branches that had closed should render normal services because the public have not been given prior notice.
Some threatened to take legal action against the banks.
There was mixed reaction to the strike call on Monday as most branches worked normally. Union leaders explained that ICU directives for the strike came late on Friday.
During GNA's visits to the banks on Tuesday, ICU leaders were spotted going round to ensure that the banks closed their doors to their customers.
With the exception of the ATM at its Head Office, all branches of the Barclays bank have been closed.
The Head Office branch of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) was working normally by 1130 hours.
The Trust Bank was also working normally because they are not members of the ICU.
Managers at Head Office Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) are serving customers but the unionised staff were meeting with leaders of the ICU.
The Adabraka Branch of SCB was working normally when GNA got there at 0900 hours. The Acting branch manager of the bank, said they had not received any directives from the Head Office on the strike.
At the Head Office of the Ghana Commercial Bank, normal work was going on at about 0945. However, they closed the doors to customers at about 1000 hours, saying they had received instructions from the ICU to strike.
Workers at GCB head office said they are not happy that the ATMs of SCB and Barclays are working, adding, "this will not make the strike action effective".
An angry customer at the Ghana Commercial Bank, Liberty House, shouted at the top of his voice: "What is happening to this shameful country?"
Another nearly shed tears asking; "Can't you open for me to withdraw the 20,000 cedis I have left....?"
Others needed to withdraw money to pay their children's school fees as most workers had just been paid.
At the Ministries Branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank, a picket posted at the door, prevented customers from entering the banking hall.
He refused to give his name but said any information about the strike could be sought from the High Street Branch.
Ms Bernice Akuba Duku, a customer of the Bank who works with the Prices and Incomes Board, said she wanted to withdraw money to buy drugs but was told that the bank was not working.
"They did not tell us whether they are on strike or anything like that. All that they said was that they are not working. From now on, I will put my money under my pillow so that I do not suffer like this again."
Mr Simon S. Agbobli of the Ghana National Fire Service, said he saved with the Mobil House branch of the liquidated Bank for Housing Construction and was told on Monday to go and bring some documents to enable him to cash his money.
When he went to the Bank with the papers he was told the Bank was not working.
"This is not the way to solve problems. This is dirty politics. They should not punish us because they have a problem with someone else," he said in high tone.
Officials the GNA spoke to at local branches could not tell when the strike would be called off.
The banks, whose workers are members of the ICU, are striking in solidarity with workers of the two liquidated banks and the Ghana Textile and Manufacturing Company.
The Bank of Ghana closed down the Bank for Housing and Construction (BHC) and Co-operative Bank two weeks ago in view of heavy losses incurred by them but the senior management staff workers union of BHC have called on the liquidator to hand over the assets to them.
The ICU said the strike is also to protest against unfair labour practices and gross injustices being meted out to workers.
GRi../
Operate within approved limits - Tuffuor
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 1 Feb. 2000
Mr Ralph Kwasi Tuffuor, acting Controller and Accountant General, has cautioned the staff of the department in the regions and districts to ensure that they operate within their approved budgetary estimates.
He warned that his office would not tolerate any officer who misapplied funds for personal use.
Mr Tuffuor, who was speaking at an end-of-year dinner dance of the staff in the Eastern Region at Koforidua, asked them to be abreast with the government's financial policies particularly the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Ghana Universal Salary Structure.
The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Adu Boateng, warned that the government would not tolerate any embezzlement of public funds by officers of the department.
The Eastern Regional Director of the Accountant-General's Department, Mr Emmanuel Bani, announced that the region did not record any embezzlement of public funds, last year as a result of regular checks by the National Audit Task Force.
GRi../
Ugandan government delegation to study Ghana's water sector
Accra (Greater Accra) 1 Feb. 2000
Mr Charles Adjei, Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited, has said the company is negotiating with foreign investors on the possibility of leasing its facilities in the Accra-Tema area under the ''Built Own Operation Transfer'' (BOOT) system.
The BOOT, to take off by 2003, would allow investors to develop water plants and manage it for 20 years after which the facilities would be released to the government.
Mr Adjei was briefing an 18-member government and private sector delegation from Uganda currently in Ghana to identify investment opportunities in the water and sanitation sector.
The delegation, led by Mr Patrick Kahangire, Director of Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment, would also share ideas and experience with their counterparts on Ghana's water sector reform.
Mr Adjei said the negotiation is in line with the company's Public Sector Participation (PSP) Programme that seeks to encourage Direct Foreign Investment.
He said to ensure affordable community water delivery, 110 small water systems were transferred to the districts and the communities involved are managing the facilities themselves.
He said areas such as Volta, Northern, Upper East and West regions that are not economically viable would continue to have support from the headoffice until they become viable.
The Managing Director said the company would welcome ideas and innovations that would push the sector forward.
Mr Kahangire expressed the hope that by the end of their visit, they would have gathered enough ideas and information and an insight into Ghana's water sector.
The delegation on Monday toured Kpong Water Works to acquaint themselves with its facilities.
The delegation, which narrowly escaped the Kenya airline plane crash at Abidjan on Sunday night after missing it, will return home on Wednesday February two.
GRi../