The National President for Association of Medicine Counter Assistants- Ghana (AMCAG), Mr. Constant Ruben Abbey has underlined non-payment of SNNIT contribution by managers and owners of pharmaceutical shops as a major challenge faced by Medicine Counter Assistants (MCAs) in Ghana.
Addressing the media on the sidelines on AMCAG’s 2024 annual General Meeting held in Kumasi on 13th July, 2024, he said it is likely a number of MCAs will retire without enjoying a SSNIT benefit.
Mr. Abbey critiqued that most employers are of the wrong perception that recruiting an MCA is a favour done to them (MCAs) and therefore sees no need of factoring the payment of their SSNIT benefits as part of their entitlement.
“…but they forget that both are in business and that the MCA helps the employer whereas the employer helps the MCA in return.
It becomes a big problem when an employer thinks he is doing an MCA a favor”.
Mr. Constant Ruben Abbey underscored working over time and payment of low salary as some of the challenges faced by Medicine Counter Assistants at hands of their employers, adding that “there are some MCAs who take as low as GH 500 which is very bad”.
The AMCAG President therefore admonished owners and employers of pharmaceutical shops to be sensitive to the welfare of MCAs by ensuring that they are given what they deserve.
“So long as their work matters, employers must know that the health and lives of people are in the hands.
It is therefore required of employers to offer MCAs good condition of service and better treatment at the work place else they will not get a sound mind to deliver effectively and this can cause a great problem”.
Source; www.leakyghana.com
