Arthur Egyir Retains UCC FUSSAG Chairmanship Position

A chief auditing assistant at the directorate of internal audit of the University of Cape coast, Daniel Arthur Egyir has been re-elected as the chairman for the UCC chapter of the Federation of University senior Staff Association of Ghana with a landslide victory. He polled seven hundred and forty nine votes to beat his contender Lawrence Ampah who had a hundred and thirty nine.

The announcement of his re election was greeted with a thunderous applauds and cheers from the crowd who had gathered at the scene of the declaration.

Mr. Arthur Egyir who could not hide his joy after being declared winner, expressed appreciation to the members for reposing such great confidence in him by electing him again for a second term.

According to him, he is ready to work collaboratively with other elected executives to give FUSSAG the needed facelift it deserves. He called all members to rally behind him, stressing; that without their support FUSSAG cannot achieve the progress it needs.

Charles Amos Adom was elected as the first vice chairman with 440 votes to beat his contender Francis Kissi who had 431. On the ticket of the 2nd vice chairperson, Grace Koomson Arthur sailed ahead her contender with 578 votes to claim the position.

Other elected executives include Kofi Adom Nyankey for secretary and George Quarshie as Assistant Secretary.

Vandyke Peter Arhin, Raphael Charles Ntsiful, Kingsley Ato Baiden and Samuel Marcourt were elected as council members for the Association.
Source: EMMANUEL TEI BIO/ATLFMNEWS

Payment of Electricity Rebate

The Ministry of Finance has given an approval for the implementation of the mediation report signed by Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) on payment of Electricity Rebate to Senior Staff of Public Universities.

A letter was sent to the Auditor General, requesting an audit of claims to enable the Ministry authorise payment.

Download the letter here

UCC Staff Appraisal and Reward Policies

One of the core mandates of every vibrant institution is human capital development resulting in quaility contribution by its workforce. To efficiently manage the workforce, there is the need to appraise and reward performances.

At its 86th Meeting held on 25th February, 2015, the University of Cape Coast Governing Council on the recommendation of the Academic Board approved policies on Staff Appraisal, Reward and Recognition.

Click to download  (i) Staff Appraisal Policy  (ii) Staff Reward & Reconition Policy

SSNIT Pension Computation & Tit-Bits

KEY CHANGES TO OLD SOCIAL SECURITY

  1. Reduced number of qualifying years from 20years (240 months) to 15years (180 months). Minimum age for drawing benefits is still 55years.
  2. Reduced total amount of contributions to SSNIT. That is, 11% out of the 18.5%. However, 5% of the 18.5% will now go into full private management where you can enjoy lump sum benefits.
  3. Employees with fewer than the minimum 15years qualifying years will be entitled to a lump sum benefit but loses out on a monthly pension income.
  4. SSNIT shall pay monthly pension incomes only and no more 25% one off tax-free cash lump sum.
  5. Guaranteed period of enjoying benefits is increased from 12years to 15years. Guaranteed period is the number of years an employee enjoys pension benefits after retirement.
  6. If a retiree dies before the expiration of the guaranteed period, the remaining benefits will be paid as a lump sum to his/her beneficiaries.
  7. Tax exemptions for all provident funds with NPRA.
  8. With the new scheme, you can earn a pension right of between 37.5% and 60% when you contribute a minimum of 15years or 180 months into the scheme at the time of your retirement.
  9. Additionally, you enjoy 0.9% per year or 0.075 per month on every extra year or months you contributed into the scheme.
  10. In a case where the months are not a full year or 12 months, the method in calculating the three best years is different. In this case, the average of best 36 months is used instead of the straight three best years’ average. You count backwards to get the full 36 months.
  11. Calculation of pension right depends on your age at retirement and the number of months you have contributed into the scheme.
  12. An employee who has not attained the retirement age may withdraw all or part of the accrued benefits from a scheme after ten years from the date of first contribution in the case of provident fund or personal pension scheme.
  13. Point (12) above however, does not apply if an employee has been certified to be incapable of normal gainful employment due to a permanent physical or mental disability; or as part of a person’s estate for his/her beneficiaries if he/she dies.
  14. Tier 1 is a defined benefit scheme and contributions are fully tax -exempt and are managed by SSNIT.
  15. Tier 2 is a defined contribution scheme and contributions are fully tax-exempt and privately managed by NPRA licensed service providers.
  16. Tier 3 is an optional contributory scheme with monthly contributions of up to 16.5% of the employee’s basic salary. It is tax-exempt. If an individual has been in the scheme for ten (10) years or more, he/she will receive all contributions made under the scheme in addition to all returns earned on their contributions at the time of exit. In the event of an exit prior to the contributor’s tenth anniversary, a marginal tax rate of 15% will be applied to the contributor’s total redemption amount.

Click to download SSNIT Pension Computation

FWSC Request to implement mediation outcome on Electricity Rebate

In response to a complain lodged by FUSSAG to Fair wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) for the consolidation of Electricity Rebate and 15% Special Allowance; FWSC however wrote to request for the implementation of only Electricity Rebate Allowance to Chief and Principal Technical Classes of Senior Staff.

The effective date of implementation is subject to negotion

MAY DAY 2015

May Day 2015 was marked across the ten regions of Ghana. In the Central Region, it was hosted in Twifo-Hemang. The Executive Commitee of FUSSAG-UCC wishes to express appreciation to all members for their participation in Workers’ Day 2015.

Workers carried placards expressing their worries and dissatisfaction with the Government policies and administration especially the power crisis – popularly called ‘dumsor’. Some of the placards read, “Enough is Enough”, “Fix Dumsor Now”, ” Our pensions need safety”

The Central Regional Secretary of the TUC, Mr Samuel Doughan, urged government to do more to resolve the energy crisis. He noted that a lot more workers might lose their jobs if the energy crisis was not solved urgently.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, advised workers to conserve energy as a means of prolonging its usage. He commended workers for their commitment to work in spite of the economic challenges the country was facing.

FUSSAG-UCC Strategic Plan (2015-2017)

This document sets out a strategic plan for FUSSAG-UCC. It reviews strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. It also presents a series of statements relating to the Association’s vision, mission, values and objectives, and sets out its proposed strategies and goals…  click to download

A Sod-Cutting Ceremony of FUSSAG village at Dwirakyim

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) branch of the Federation of University Senior Staff Associations (FUSSAG) has begun a housing project at Dwirakyim in the Komenda-Edina- Eguafo-Abrem Municipality for its members. The project dubbed “FUSSAG-UCC Village” will provide accommodation for members of the Union who purchased plot of land at the Dwirakyim Community. The FUSSAG Village”, is being developed on a 200-plot land, already been sold out to members. The first phase comprising 20 buildings would consist of three bedroom  and four bedroom flats at the cost of GHȻ 70,000.00  and GHȻ 80,000 per unit respectively, on demand basis. The first phase of the project is to be completed within 12 month. The project is being pre-financed and constructed by A.K.A Consult, while interested members would pay through a 10-year mortgage plan. The company pre-financed a similar housing project for the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Branch of FUSSAG.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. John Nelson Buah   who broke the grounds for the start of the project, commended the association for the initiative and underscored its importance to both the university and FUSSAG members. He commended FUSSAG for taking such a giant step to provide affordable housing project to provide decent accommodation to its members. He admitted that the University was seriously handicapped in the area of providing accommodation to staff and therefore, the project was a sigh of relief to management, stressing that “You have really shown the University the way to go and I am proud of your foresight.”
Prof. Buah recounted instances he could not offer assistance to the request from some staff who had genuine accommodation problems. He seized the opportunity to call on the contractor to provide quality work and also deliver the first phase of the project within the stipulated period. He finally thanked the chief of the community for making the land available to FUSSAG adding “Any chief that want the learned around his community is progressive a leader”
The Chairman of FUSSAG-UCC, Mr. Daniel Egyir described the commencement of the project as a dream come true. He said the idea, conceived two years ago, was aimed at reducing the accommodation burden on the university management.
 He noted that the project was in fulfilment of a promise by the executives of the union to provide affordable houses to minimise the burden of management concerning issues of accommodation. He observed that there had been several instances where members of the union mounted pressure on him for allocation of the limited University accommodation.
Mr. Egyir pointed out that the union therefore embarked on the housing project to solve the accommodation challenges members face in the University. He also expressed appreciation to Alpha Hands for facilitating the release of large parcel of serviced plots for members of the union to purchase. He further thanked AKA Consult for responding to the request of the Union to construct the houses at FUSSAG Village at reasonable prices and flexible terms of payment.
Dr. Kweku Gyasi Badu, Deputy Registrar of the Division of Human Resource, UCC, who chaired the function, also commended the association and charged the developers to deliver quality work and also work within schedule.
The chief of the Dwirakyim, Nana Dwira (V) assured FUSSAG and the contractor of the project of his support. He prayed for God’s blessings for the successful completion of the project. The immediate former Secretary of FUSSAG, Mr. Emmanuel Aidoo advised the executives of the Union to partner management to ensure the sustainability of the project without unnecessary delay or interference in the event of change of leadership. He remarked that “I am very excited to witness this sod-cutting ceremony which signifies the realization of the long awaited dream of FUSSAG.”
Present at the function were : College Registrar, College of Health and Allied Sciences Mr. Gordon Mensah, representatives of  Alpha Hands, AKA Consult-contractors for the project and some members and executives of FUSSAG.
Compiled by Emmanuel Aidoo (Secretary )- FUSSAG

FUSSAG UCC Progress Report 2014

INTRODUCTION

It is clear that the Unions make a big difference in the work place. By the end of the year 2013, the association initiated many programmes to be embarked on, in the year 2014.FUSSAG made a lot of progress despite the numerous challenges encountered within the year.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Infrastructure

The year 2014 was a fruitful year, the Union was able to secure over 200 plots of land for its members and preparations are far advanced for the commencement of the building project for individual who purchased the land. As part of the project earmarked to be embarked on within the year was a car washing bay and an office complex. Initial preparation in terms of physical designs of the office complex and the washing bay were completed as far back April 2014. Executives are doing follow-ups to secure a land within the University for the Construction of the two projects.
Conditions of service

In connection with the four major petitions tabled before Fair Wages and Salaries Commission for consideration, the Union, Universities management and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission met on several occasions to deliberate on the issues. FWSC came for job re-evaluation on various campuses to ascertain the level of risk members encounter . Unions and FWSC met to discuss the report of the re-evaluation the proposal was to consider the principal and chief technicians for such allowance. whiles that of the electricity rebate will go for all principal and chief staff. The market premium and the 15% special allowance is before arbitration , various parties are yet to agree on the arbitrators.

Job Re-evaluation

During the year, job re-evaluation was conducted by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to collect data on the eligibility of some staff who are exposed to excessive risk to be given risk allowance. The local executives gave the representatives from Fair Wages and Salaries Commission warm reception throughout their stay on UCC campus.

May Day Celebrations

The 2014 May Day Celebration was well participated members of FUSSAG UCC at Victoria park in Cape Coast.

Organised L abour’s Nationwide Demonstration

FUSSAG UCC was fully involved in the 24th July, 2014 nationwide simultaneous demonstration. The reasons for the protestation were: declining fortunes of the Tema Oil Refinery, the lack of effective rail transport and poor conditions of work for railway workers, the deteriorating economic situation, the declining cedi, the inefficient management of utility services and poor utility service delivery and the high and rising cost of the living.

Professional development

First in the history of FUSSAG, the management members (Chairmen and the secretaries) from three campuses namely: University of Cape Coast, University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology represented the Association in Geneva, Swizarland for ILO conference. This exposure has actually placed FUSSAG on the international platform.
The union also organized a successful three day workshop for its members. Last but not the least our former secretary Mr. Emmanuel Aidoo was elevated from the designation of principal administrator to Junior Assistant Registrar.

By-election

On Tuesday 11th November, 2014, consequent to the elevation of the former secretary to the position of Junior Assistant Registrar, the executive council held by-election to elect Mr. Sampson Amponsah Atiako and Mr. George Quarshie as secretary and a council member respectively.

Annual General Meeting

Later in the year the association held its Annual General Meeting to review the events of the year 2014 and also sworn in the secretary and a council member to their respective positions.

End of year package

We ended the year successfully with the distribution of end of year package.

CHALLENGES

As any human organization the association was not without challenges. The following challenges were encountered:

1.The acquisition of the land for the construction of a car washing bay and an office complex had not been successful.

2. Support from management in connection with the grievances submitted to fair wages and salaries commission was not forth coming.