Prof Attafuah tells NIA staff why they can’t have allowances

The Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, has responded to the concerns raised by staff regarding allowances, clarifying that some allowances have been consolidated under the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) and others have been recategorized.

This response comes amidst threats of strike action from the staff due to non-payment of certain allowances.

According to a letter signed by the Head of Administration and Human Resource of the NIA, Jay Awuah-Peasah, on behalf of Prof Attafuah, some allowances such as Responsibility Allowance and Risk Allowance have been consolidated into employees’ salaries under the Single Spine Salary Structure since 2014 and are therefore not separately available to staff.

Additionally, other allowances like Staff Housing Allowance, Clothing Allowance, Utility Allowance, Entertainment Allowance, and Fuel Allowance are now categorized as Category 4 Allowances and are available only to Directors and above in the NIA.

In response to the staff’s threat of indefinite strike action starting from March 25 if their proposed allowances are not reflected in their March 2024 pay slips, Management of the NIA emphasized that they are not in a position to implement proposals submitted to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), which is the statutory body responsible for considering and acting on such proposals.

Management clarified that the FWSC has requested additional documents from the NIA for necessary action and negotiation, including the Standard of Service (SoS) document.

Furthermore, Management assured the staff of their commitment to improving their conditions of service within the confines of public service regulations. They highlighted proactive measures taken to address staff welfare concerns and emphasized their willingness to work with the staff union to achieve mutual interests.

Management urged the staff to call off their intended strike action, emphasizing that such action would cause undue hardship to the public and reputational damage to the NIA and the Government of Ghana.

In conclusion, Management appealed to the staff to exercise good faith and judgment in addressing their concerns, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and moderation in resolving the issues at hand. They reiterated their commitment to working together with the staff to improve conditions of service within legal and policy frameworks.