Day: April 18, 2024

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission(FWSC) Thursday engaged selected editors in Accra on its operations. The engagement was to abreast the editors of the mandate and activities of the Commission ahead of its payroll monitoring exercise. Mr Benjamin Arthur, the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, took the editors through the objectives and functions of the Commission and called for partnerships with newsrooms towards the effective engagement of the public on the role of the Commission in ensuring fair wages and salaries. He said the Commission had saved a lot of money for the State through the removal of 'ghost' names from the payroll and called for support for the payroll edit. Mr Arthur lamented situations where some government workers regularly absented themselves from work, but were validated for full salary payment at the end of the month. He said in some cases, decentralised offices in some districts were perpetually locked, but the workers were religiously validated for salary payment ever y month. Mr Arthur said the situation must change,insisting that workers' pay must be linked to productivity. He said salary and allowance negotiations were just about 20 per cent of the mandate of the Commission and that its 'huge' task of salary and wage management needed the support of the media. On industrial actions, especially in election years, Mr Arthur said the Commission had no issues with legal strikes, but the intention must not be to 'jeopardise the system'. The nationwide payroll monitoring, which started last year, is to detect and eliminate fraud or anomalies on the payroll. Mr Arthur said the wage bill was reduced by an average of 1.2 per cent from April to August 2023 during the exercise, translating into an equivalent of about GHS36,108,000. FWSC is the Government of Ghana's mandated organisation for the determination and management of salaries for all public servants whose salaries are drawn from the consolidated fund. It also advises government on all salary-related matters in the country. Source: Ghana News Agency

MANOUBA: A delegation from the German Development Bank (KfW) recently visited the governorate of Manouba to inspect the progress of the project to modernise irrigated areas and implement the master plan for the Laaroussia canal in El Battan. The development of the Laaroussia canal has been completed over a length of 14 km, at a cost of around TND 21 million. Modernisation work in the Laaroussia and Chouigui irrigation areas has reached an 80% progress rate. Some 360 farmers in the region will benefit from this project, which will cover a total of 1,700 hectares of public irrigated land at a cost of TND 70 million. The visit, which was attended by the Commissioner for Local Agricultural Development and Commission officials, also focused on the projects outlined in the Tunisian-German cooperation programme, Samir Ayadi, manager of the Laaroussia canal plan, told TAP. The German side was briefed on several projects still under study, notably the project to modernise the irrigated areas in Borj El Amri, cove ring an area of 2,700 hectares (costing TND 60 million), and the project to modernise 440 hectares of irrigated perimeters in Tebourba, Tebourba Errimel, Hammed, Guechba and Ben Nfissa in Jedaida (costing TND 120 million). The project to develop the northern section of the Laaroussia canal (5 km from the Laaroussia dam to Goumeryane) and the southern section (35 km from the Laaroussia dam to Sidi Thabet, in the Ariana governorate) were also discussed. The cost of this project, which includes the construction of 40 km of pipelines through the urban area of Tebourba, is estimated at TND 100 million. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Zenith Global Health is to host the 4th Africa Healthcare Awards and Summit (AHAS 2024) in Accra. A statement by the Organisation indicated that, the Summit would take place at the Accra International Conference Centre from April 22, 2024 (summit) to April 23, 2024, (Awards Gala). It will be on the theme: 'Advances in Population Health - Tackling Inequalities and Access: A One Health Approach'. AHAS 2024 would bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers, innovators, and stakeholders from across Africa to discuss pressing issues in healthcare and foster collaboration for sustainable solutions. The Summit would feature engaging panel discussions, keynote presentations, and interactive side sessions focused on addressing the challenges of population health through a holistic approach. Topics would include healthcare financing, manufacturing and supply chain management, community engagement, and the role of technology in improving healthcare access and delivery. 'We are excited to host the 4th Afr ica Healthcare Awards and Summit in Accra, Ghana. This event serves as a platform for stakeholders to come together, share insights, and explore innovative approaches to advancing population health in Africa. 'We look forward to productive discussions and meaningful collaborations that will drive positive change across the continent,' Mary Akangbe, President and Founder of Zenith Global Health, said. The statement said AHAS 2024 would also include the prestigious Africa Healthcare Awards ceremony, recognising excellence and innovation in various sectors of the healthcare industry. Awards categories would span healthcare delivery, medical research, technology, and community health initiatives, among others. 'We are honoured to celebrate the achievements of healthcare professionals and organisations making a difference in the lives of people across Africa. The Africa Healthcare Awards showcase the dedication and commitment of individuals and institutions working tirelessly to improve healthcare outcomes and promote wellness in our communities,' Dr Imane Kendili, President of Africa Global Health, Morocco, said. The statement said registration for AHAS 2024 was open, and encouraged interested participants to visit the official website https://zenithglobalhealth.com/ahas-africa-ticket/ for more information and to secure their spot at the event. Zenith Global Health was founded in 2016 by the President, Mary Akangbe, a British Nigerian Specialist Nurse Practitioner with over 30 years of experience in the United Kingdom (UK) health system and about 15 years of transforming health across Africa. Her passion for patients and health systems enabled her to attract support from diverse colleagues and partners to bring Zenith Global Health's vision to life. Source: Ghana News Agency