The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has held its 2014 annual management retreat, the Employee Wellbeing Programme (EWP) at Apam in the Central Region.
The two-day programme brought together representatives of its partners, including the German Technical Corporation, Geutsche Gesellchaft fuer Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Ghana Community Network System Limited (GCNet), to discuss issues relating to the wellbeing of workers.
The EWP aims to promote and maintain a workforce which is healthy in relation to its physical, mental, emotional, social and financial well-being.
Some of the health issues discussed were blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index. They also discussed financial and social interventions.
Speaking at the end of the ceremony, the Commissioner in charge of the Support Services Division of the programme, Mr Anthony E. Minlab, said the objective of the policy was to enhance the health status of employees and families of the GRA, GCNet and GIZ, as well as provide them with social protection.
“The employee well-being programme is a workplace venture which would educate the personnel on their health needs and afford them the opportunity to be screened for some of the most common diseases,” he said.
Mr Minlab said since its launched in 2009, the GRA EWP had successfully implemented a plan to screen and vaccinate staff.
“A regional-based quarterly health walk has been established on the EWP Regional Focal Persons Structure. It provides a platform for interaction, cohesion and teamwork, as well as a good avenue for the GRA,” he said.
According to Mr Minlab, the EWP had developed and launched a malaria strategy for the GRA, adding; “As part of the implementation plan, management has started distributing mosquito nets on a pilot basis to all checkpoints.”
Touching on its Business Continuity Plan (BCP), he said it had been designed to contain and minimise threats that might terminate or significantly disrupt its core business.
“The overall objective of the plan is to reduce shocks in the event that a major disaster or emergency occurred and also make the GRA less vulnerable to such shocks. We do that by providing the framework for all divisions within the authority to restore essential functions while ensuring the safety and well-being of the personnel,” he said.