It is shocking to note that The Gambia’s package of Covid-19 funds, earmarked to fight the pandemic, has created even more problems for the country. We’ve always read in reports how some top officials were able to block the fund which should have been a tool to fight the pandemic, for their selfish enrichment.
In Monday’s edition, we ran an article in which the Association of Public and Environmental Health Officers (APEHOG), under the Ministry of Health (MoH) has threatened to embark on a nationwide sit-down strike for allowances exclusion at the Health Ministry. The association demanded the Ministry of Health to include them in the new allowance scheme that is provided for some cadres within the said ministry.
These health officers deserve better treatment since they have been on the frontline and in their contact tracing since the start of the pandemic in the country.
But rather so called senior officials who are sitting at the comfort zones in their offices, could now sit and draw allowances for themselves, while neglecting those on the frontline.
This reminds us about the importance of staff motivation both in deed and in monetary aspects. This ensures staff delivers as expected and even staff retention.
However, today many employees quit their workplace or profession due to lack of proper motivation by some selfish individual manning top position.
This sometimes leads to low staff morale or even a show of ‘lackadaisical’ attitude.
When staffs are better motivated and encouraged, they give their best which often translates into growth of the institution.
Staff should be allowed to work without being subjected to any hatred or discrimination of such. It is through the collective and diverse inputs that many successful institutions were able to be what they are today. Therefore, employers should ensure fair treatment of staff on their payroll.
After going through the work of staff threatening to strike, one would conclude that they should not be excluded in the allowance scheme. These are the officials responsible for the surveillance and disease control including contact tracing especially during peak period of Covid-19, screening of travelers at the POEs including the airport and the sea port and enforcement of Covid-19 regulations across the country. They also administer vaccines to adults and under-fives and disinfection and burial of the dead among a host of others.
Indeed they deserve better treatment. Let’s not encourage the popular adage ‘Baboon work, monkey eat.’
“ How do leaders serve their people? They may pay good wages and treat employees with respect.”
John C. Maxwell