We Must Build The Capacity Of The Fair Wages Commission � Prez Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama, has indicated that there is the need to allow the labour mechanism in the country to work. According to him, the Fair Wages and Salary Commission (FWSC) and the National Labour Commission (NLC) must be left alone to operate in the capacity given to them. He said if government continues to interfere in its activities, they (FWSC) will be dormant. His comment was in reaction to a question that was put out by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) at the IEA evening encounter, concerning their remuneration as far as the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is concerned. According to GMA since the President has pledged his commitment to motivate the health workers, he must be able to work out outstanding issues they have with the National Labour Commission (NLC). Yesterday, President Mahama attended the Presidential debate organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs to outline key policy issues that the NDC government would implement when voted in power. The President at the event, stated that the reason why the SSSS was created was to solve anomalies in the salaries of public workers and so if he keeps on responding to groups who wants their salaries to be increased, the SSSS will not be effective; hence the need to allow the system to work and allow FWSC and NLC to do their work. He said: �Our intention is to try to make the labour mechanism work without interference from the political establishment. If different organization keep petitioning me as President and I tell the fair wages, give it to them, we will end up destroying the structure we are trying to establish. And that is why as president I must be careful in interfering in the wage negotiations�it is absolutely necessary: I must allow the process to progress. We must build the capacity of the Fair Wages Commission to supervise and superintend labour remuneration in this country and I will do my best to be able to do that so that we create a situation where all of us are able to advance together� He however, assured them that he is going to do his best to look into their (GMA) issues in consultation with the FWSC and the NLC.