By Omar Bah
The Gambia government has announced yesterday that the two months suspension of the public and environmental health officers has been reduced to one month.
Few weeks ago, the Ministry of Health slapped 371 public and environmental health officers with a two-month suspension. The ministry said the suspension without salary was a result of the staff’s noncompliance to return to work after a long period of unauthorised absence. The health workers were on a sit-down strike in protest over unpaid allowances. But in a letter shared with The Standard yesterday the Personnel Management Office, PMO said: “This is to inform you that the Public Service Commission has approved the commutation of the suspension without salary of the 371 Public and Environmental Health Officers from two months to one month. As such, they will not receive salaries for the month of July, 2022, but will have their salaries reinstated with effect from August 1, 2022.
“Accordingly, they are hereby warned that in future they should desist from engaging in such unauthorised absence from duties and unethical conduct, as any such tendencies shall be met with harsher penalties without reconsideration. In view of this, all affected Public and Environmental Health Officers in the attached list are advised to report to their duty stations on Monday 1st August, 2022. By a copy of this letter the director, Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS-PMO) is advised to effect the necessary changes accordingly with immediate effect.”
