I will begin with these 'infamous' statements from both politicians and so called 'social commentators' and journalists in this country; 'Doctors are among the highest, if not the highest paid public officials of this country, They are trained with the task payer’s money. They are provided with free stethoscopes and books. They are fed free of charge. They do not apply for jobs, but walk out of school into it. They are given free cars and free bungalow immediately on completion of medical school.' The most ridiculous of all is the fact that all these people claim medical officers take home GH¢4,000. Thanks to the Statesman, in 2006, the newspaper which championed this falsehood for their own parochial interest, Doctors for some reasons have allowed the propaganda to be propagated for far too long. Unfortunately, our dear country has been engulfed by propaganda. Each of the political parties believes in propaganda and shamefully this has been extended to Doctors. In this ensuing strike action which began on the 8th October, 2011, lots of preemptive signs were given to all the stakeholders but they all failed to respond including our ignorant journalists who over the years have failed to educate themselves on Health. It saddens me that some of these young men could insult the intelligence of all Doctors. When the GMA released the communiqué instructing doctors to stop working and wait for further instructions from the associations, over two weeks ago, the nation went to sleep giving the association a deaf ear. It still beats my imagination and 'common sense' as to why the government, including the president and the Minister of Health, the CEO of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the NLC, the so called coalition of Health NGO's, the Press and public failed to realize that this was a declaration of intent of strike. On the other hand, I need not be astonished because the country now only eats, breaths, drinks and wears politics. The media selectively failed to discuss this. The worse of this is when the Daily Graphic and Ghanaian the Ghanaian Times newspapers refused any publication from the GMA on these issues. Even when the Association was ready to pay! These institutions have failed the country and they rather have to be sued. The NLC, per the Labour law had within 72 hours to resolve this impasse but they failed their constitutional duty which is proactively averting strike action. Typical of them since the inception of the Law, they are now calling on GMA to call off the strike action claiming it is illegal. I wonder whether members of the commission or its spokespersons understand the law of the institution they operate. I challenge any Ghanaian to sue the GMA. I am in serious discussion with my Lawyer and very soon we will encourage the public to see us with reports of any family member who suffers death or disability from this strike action. We shall then present a strong case against the FWSC, MOH and especially the Labour Commission in a competent court of law for determination of these matters. We need to know who is right in these matters because, in my opinion, the Labour Commission has failed to perform its duties leading to disability or death. This I believe will set up precedence for managing future occurrences. I humbly believe that the GMA has not erred at all. We followed laid down procedures for more than 18months. The mantra on the airwaves in such situations is that people are dying because of the strike action. This is palpable falsehood which is just aimed at inciting the public against doctors. This will not wash as we have resolved to fight for our future. The matter at stake is essential to our future and that of the integrity and respect of the profession. Nigerian doctors were on strike for more than two months and this revolutionized salary levels of our colleagues in the oil rich state. Today, lots of Nigerian doctors have gone back to their homeland. Hitherto, Ghana was littered with lots of Nigerian doctors. They have saved their children and future generations of brain drain. We must resolve to go to the wire with this strike if we're really patriotic. Tomorrow, Ghanaians will sit back and praise us for such a great work done. Let us come together and tell the politicians that no weapon of propaganda fashioned against us shall succeed. Today, the word Propaganda has become the sole reserve of politicians. When a spokesperson of the GMA accused the CEO of the FWSC of doing propaganda against doctors, our colleague was rather accused of doing politics. The fact is people failed to respond to our distress call when we issued that communiqué. They were waiting for us to strike even though they knew we offer essential services. Today our Members of parliament and ministers take home more than GH¢5,000 monthly. The MPs are given $20,000 car loan immediately they enter parliament without any effort...I wonder if they pay back. A minister receives this huge salary with free petrol and house/housing allowance. The most ridiculous of all is that their groceries are paid for by us. They and their families and maids receive free medical care while you and I pay for health services even in our own hospitals where we work. This is the worse form of the proverbial animal farm. Recently, MPs called for increment in their salaries to GH¢7,000. Apart from this they hurriedly paid ex-gratia to themselves leading to the withdrawal of Hon Moses Asaga's ministerial nomination. The 230 Mps and over 70 former ministers and other Article 71 office holders were each paid GH¢85,000 for serving this country for only 4 years. For people like E.T. Mensah and Nana Akomea, they have enjoyed it for about thrice, making nonsense of the reason behind the ex-gratia establishment. I can't believe that all these failed to collapse the economy at a time we were told there was nothing in the national kitty and that the country's economy was in 'intensive care'. The politicians support each other when it comes to issues bordering on their welfare. They were quick to pass such similar laws without debate but when we, the hard working Ghanaians ask for our pound of flesh, they say it will collapse our economy. I challenge any of them including the CEO of the FWSC, the NLC members and the Minister of Health to flash their pay slips and make their allowances public. Then contest me on certificate, ours of work and responsibilities to human existence. Unfortunately we live in the part of the world were mediocrity is worshiped. In any serious jurisdiction many of these men and women will never have the moral right to tell us to call of the strike. They rip the country off without recourse to the poor. Our hospitals are ill-equipped while they lavish themselves with V8s and other fuel-expending cars. To all those who are ignorant, these are the facts: The first-year clinical students are 110. -50 of these students are Ghanaians and they pay a total fee of GH¢1,300. The rest are made up of foreign students and full fee-paying Ghanaian students. -The full fee-paying students pay GH¢3600. - The GEM student, Graduates from Ghana pay GH¢10,000 a year while their counterparts in the law faculty pay less than GH¢1500: Unfortunately those in the law programme are believed to pay full fees. -All medical students buy their own books, laptops, stethoscopes including gloves for dissection. So, WHO PAYS FOR THE TRAINING OF DOCTORS IN GHANA? WHERE IS THE 'TAX-PAYERS' MONEY? -Foreign students pay $12,500 as fees. Pause for a minute, and ask yourself, how these students get money to pay these fees. Can the government be sincere and tell Ghanaians its contribution in training a single doctor? Where lies the government or the so called 'tax payers' money? -A Medical Officer takes home less than GH¢1,200. -The medical officer pays for rent and when out of government flat, he/she does not receive housing allowance as some Mps and Ministers do. -The Doctor and his family pay for their own healthcare even in their own hospitals. A Doctor on duty at The SME collapsed while on duty and CT SCAN requested but the unconscious doctor was asked to pay. Doctors at the maternity block pay for their own bills when they deliver. Ministers, ECG workers, SSNIT, TOR, Prison Officers, the Army and Police all enjoy free medical care with their families. What crime did doctors commit to attract this injustice? -The medical officer buys his/her car (usually used) from his own money. He does not receive car loan like MPs do. -The MO pays for water and electricity. - The MO pays for his groceries including meat. -The MO does not have risk allowances against any infectious agent. As I lay these facts bare, I now challenge the noise makers appealing to us to also show us their conditions of service and their contribution to our economy. More especially to the MOH, the CEO of the FWSC, MPs, Ministers; If they believe they work more than us and receive less than us they should come out with it and show to Ghanaians. Please, put up or shut up. Ghanaians must stand for the truth and demand answers from our leaders who have failed them. Doctors deserve what they are asking for and if we claim our country's economy will grow at over 13% this year, then where lies the truth as to the statement that our demands will collapse the economy. If the personal emoluments of our politicians and directors, MCEs. DCEs and presidential staffers will not collapse this very economy then giving reasonable salaries to 2,000 doctors will not collapse it. I urge all doctors to stand firm and support Dr Adom Winful and his team in this trying times. This is our future. We do not retire on our salaries as the judges and others do. One day, we will be old and can’t do locum anymore. Let’s fight this time for it's a good fight. Our Destiny is in our own hands. The Germans and Nigerians have shown us the way. To Ghanaians, we love you and we are doing it for you. It is for the future of this profession. Today, Ghanaians are paying close to GH¢10,000 as school fees. How do you expect them to repay this money? Let your conscience judge you Mr. Journalist. Ignore politics and seek the truth. Dr Abdallah Mhadi KBTH. email: dodihadi@yahoo.com