The Director-General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency has reacted to threats by staff to withdraw their services over unjustified delay in the implementation of their conditions of service.
Dr. Eric Asuman denied accusations that he is only interested in procurement instead of prioritising the welfare of workers.
He said he has spearheaded the effort with support from the union to get the first ever conditions of service for staff.
“The staff condition is germane to my heart. Since 2004 when the agency was established, it has never had conditions of service. I have initiated processes of developing conditions of service working with the union. As I speak, the document is with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission,” he said in an interview with 3news on July 3.
This was in response to the accusation that he has not submitted the conditions of service developed by management and the union.
Dr. Eric Asuman said it was unfortunate for some staff to think that he has not transmitted the document when about three correspondents have been exchanged in June alone.
He said this cannot be the basis why the union will proceed to lay down their tools.
Dr. Asuman said the staff condition of service is a priority to him, and his objective is to attract and retain quality staff to the organization.
“Meteorologists are not people you can go to the shelves and buy them; you shape them from within and build their capacity”.
He also denied allegations by staff that he is only interested in procurement including buying cars for the Agency.
“From last year till this year, the only procurement item that has happened in this organisation are four,” he stressed.
Dr. Asuman mentioned the renovation of abandoned deteriorated building that never got used also known as Central Analysis Forecast Office, some computers and automatic weather observing system at the airport and some vehicles for the organisation as the only items procured.
He admitted the use of obsolete working equipment like stevenson screens, thermometers and self-recording gauges but said prevailing conditions bedeviling public sector agencies coupled with poor internally generated funds stifles growth.
That notwithstanding Dr. Asuman said the way to go is to procure more automatic stations to compliment the current manual systems.
“Last year, the Ministry of Agric food system resilient project (FSRP) procured for GMET 20 automatic weather stations which we have installed, again under a Ministry of Communication project (Ghana Digital Accelerated Project) we were going to obtain 105 different automatic stations, but the IMF programme Ghana signed on to shelved the order”
Dr. Asuman also pointed out that some of the equipment the Stevenson screens house like thermometers are no longer being manufactured justifying the need for automation.
While most people agree weather forecasting has improved in recent years, the need to retool GMET and provide staff with the favourable working conditions is crucial owing to the subtly huge role it plays.
BY THOMAS ADOTEI PAPPOE
