UE/R: SOCO PROJECT FACILITATORS URGED TO WORK HARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT – DCE NABDAM
BY: A. KWAME
Coalition of Returning Officers (ROs) and Deputy Returning Officers (DROs) in the Upper East Region among other Regions in the country today the 6th day of September 2024 presented a petition through the Regional Directors to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission during the swearing in of Returning and Deputy Returning Officers at the Regional Office of the Commission (Bolgatanga).
In this Petition, they acknowledged the receipt of a letter signed by the Deputy Chairperson, Corporate Services, of the Electoral Commission, which detailed the allowances intended to be paid to the various categories of temporary staff the Commission intended recruiting for this year’s general elections.
They respectfully expressed their concerns over the recent decision to peg allowances to be paid to them in the 2024 General Elections far below what was paid in 2020 General elections.
In 2020, ROs received Ghs7, 800.00 for 3 months, whiles DROs received Ghs7, 200.00 for 3 months with both training and T&T allowances. In 2024 the story seems to be different. ROs will be paid Ghs7, 000.00 for the period of 4 months, whiles DROs will also be paid Ghs 6, 000.00 for the same period of 4months with no Training and T&T allowances.
The reduction is unfair, demotivating, and undermines the vital roles and contribution they carry out in the activities of the commission they said.
Their reasons for expressing their concerns regarding the rates given being far below their expectation are due to Unrecognized Sacrifices, Increased Responsibilities, Financial Burden, Demotivation, High Cost of Living among other concerns.
With their demands, they request for Enhance Remuneration, Fair Compensation, Recognition, Restoration of Allowances like transportation/ fuel, call credit/ Data, Insurance Package and training allowances separately and not consolidated.
With regards to their proposals, they said the Commission over the years had engaged them for a period of three months and paid them on monthly basis, they therefore appeal that the good old tradition and practices be maintained. The following figures were proposed:
- i) Returning Officers: Ghs 4,000.00 per month for three months. (October-December).
- ii) Deputy Returning Officers: Ghs 3,800.00 per month for three months. (October-December).
They respectfully implore the Chairperson of the Commission to pay heed to their requests and grant same as a sign of appreciation and respect for their untiring effort to ensuring that the Commission, once again, carries through its constitutional mandate of ensuring free, fair and transparent elections, whose results will only be acceptable to real actors, that is, both the victors and the vanquished, but by the generality of the Ghanaian citizenry and the international community.
