Dr. (Mrs.) Jennifer Adoley Baffoe tipped to win GAMLS’ National Financial Secretary

Dr. (Mrs.) Jennifer Adoley Baffoe has emerged as a strong candidate for the National Financial Secretary position in the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS). Her extensive background in financial management and commitment to the association’s goals make her a promising choice. Supporters believe her leadership could enhance transparency and financial accountability within the organization. The election will be held at GAMLS’ Annual General Meeting slated for 6th to 9th of November at Eubett Hotel at Sunyani in Ghana.

MANIFESTO FOR DR. (MRS) JENNIFER ADOLEY BAFFOE
FINANCIAL SECRETARY HOPEFUL’ 2024

THE SERVICEABLE AGENDA
THE GAMLS WE WANT – BETTER BRIGHTER GAMLS

Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen of Our Noble Profession.

I wish to begin by expressing my heartfelt appreciation to my fellow NEO members, NEC members, Regional Executives and the entire membership of GAMLS for the opportunity to serve you and the immense support given to me during my tenure.
I am the incumbent and the Head of the Civil Service Polyclinic Lab (Ministries Accra) with 22years working experience as Medical Laboratory Professional.

I have served GAMLS in various capacities since my student days and in recent times as Acting Financial Secretary and Vice Chairperson for Greater Accra Region for two (2) terms before moving to National.
For the purpose of this engagement, my speech will cover three key areas:

1) The GAMLS Social Contract (Previous Manifesto Promises)
2) Achievements with Current NEO
3) The Vision For The Next Term -The GAMLS We Desire (Brighter Financial Future and Holistic Welfare)
1. The GAMLS Social Contract (Previous Manifesto Promise)
In my previous manifesto, I promised to focus on:
a. Provident Fund: As part of my Holistic Welfare programme, this major social security (protection) has been achieved with over 2000 of our members having subscribed to the Provident Fund (now converted into GAMLS FUND).
b. Membership Drive: The promise to increase the membership of GAMLS across all it’s sectors (public, academia, private, security, quasi etc) has been achieved resulting in an increase of over 3000 dues paying members, increasing our revenue stream by about 60%.

c. Annual Audited Financial Report and Budget: since taking office, I have delivered on my promise to increase transparency and accountability to membership by presenting NEC and the general membership with an annual audited account to help membership keep track of the finances of the association and advice on same.

2. Achievements with Current NEO
Upon assumption of office, we were saddled with a myriad of challenges, including financial, but by dint of hard work we have managed to improve our overall financial position and achieved the following :
i. Paying off inherited debts and settling direct financial commitments, including paying off most off our veterans whose land we added to the Secretariat Building Land.
ii. Created a Reserve Account to amongst other things effect:
1. Liquidity Management : Maintains easily accessible funds for unexpected but crucial expenses.
2. Long Term/Contingency Planning: Supports Strategic initiatives and growth
3. Emergency Funding: Serves as a fall back to provides funds during financial emergency/crisis.
iii. Developing the Secretariat Building from the Foundation Level to Roofing Level currently
iv. Successfully litigated to retain the GAMLS lands that were in dispute
v. Created and Furnished a Business Office in the Northern Sector
vi. Supported Ashanti Region to acquire and furnish a Business Office
vii. Supported WAPCMLS GH CHAPTER for the enrollment of elected fellows into the college
viii. Printing of GAMLS 50th Anniversary Cloth at subsidized price for members
ix. Free distribution of GAMLS Anniversary T-Shirts to all members.
x. Awards Scheme for students of UDS and Cape Coast University
xi. Digitalization of GAMLS Enrollment and Payment Platforms
xii. Payment of Retirement Benefits to Retirees

3. VISION FOR THE NEXT TERM (THE GAMLS WE DESIRE-Brighter Financial Future and Holistic Welfare)
A. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT POLICY:
i. Institution of Permanent Financial Framework: This seeks to regiment the financial protocols and standards instituted so far, making them an integral part of our internal regulations and hence binding on leadership in a way that takes care of all statutory and mandated budget lines without sacrificing them for evolving interests. It will require the FS and NEC to engage our Auditors and financial accounting experts to delimit our budget and expenditure lines; setting quotas per percentage (%) of our general average income per month or per quarter.
This architecture will streamline budget lines and ensure a check off system for especially our statutory expenditures, leaving no room to compromising, sacrificing nor shortchanging them for other evolving interest during the term of office.
The resultant effect will instill the highest standards of fiscal discipline, transparency and accountability, and a further modernization of our financial systems for efficiency.
ii. Swift Cash Flow: This intervention seeks to improve cash flow especially to the regions and other special organs of GAMLS to increase grassroot mobilization and inspire activism at every level in every arm of GAMLS.
Implementing and operationalizing the Permanent Financial Architecture/framework will result in almost an instant release of funds to the various arms, wings and organs of GAMLS by eliciting the needed check off percentage (%) or amount to serve those particular purposes. This will make sure statutory payments especially that of Regional Subvention is paid in record time once funds are received.
It will also improve fiscal visibility and contingency planning of GAMLS financing whenever we need to financially prioritize activities.
iii. Financial Literacy Education: This will impact the necessary financial management knowledge to the general membership and leadership.
This will focus on organizing financial literacy programs in both group (professional association) financing for both national and regional leaders with emphasis on financial secretaries.
This programme will also develop a financial literacy series to educate members and to equip them with both group financial knowledge and Personal Financial Management Skills and Tools. It will also continue to ensure that membership receive regular financial updates through audited accounts and GAMLS ALL CALL when the need arises.

B. Completion of the National Secretariat Building: GAMLS must as a matter of need be able to complete our Secretariat building in good time, not only because of the obvious usable benefits but also because the longer we take the more costly it will become – and this is why I as your Financial Secretary have adopted pragmatic measures to get it done and over with including the creation of the reserve account to forster the completion of such a posterity/generational project.

C. Permanent Business Interest (Bottled Water Business Project): This is the only major manifesto promise which hasn’t been achieved yet. It’s the most burning issue on my heart right now, because it is expedient for GAMLS to assume more permanent streams of income from low risk, growth enabled assets such as bottled water production. I will aggressively pursue this to ensure when given the nod again.

D. Holistic Member-Centered Welfare: I believe that welfare in it’s holistic sense is what our members deserve. The professional body in its entirety should be able to help take care of the member both professionally and socially during their active working life and into their retirement. This has always been on my heart and thus leading to the carefully thought through initiative of holistic welfare (care) which has the following as components:

1. GAMLS FUND: Will ensure that the amount saved per member for the fund which has already taken off is increased. Recently launched, it is intended to take care of tomorrow today whilst you start work as a young worker.

2. LABCARES: This is a Scholarship/Grant Scheme that has been tailor made to sponsor members undertaking academic, research and development and specialty pursuits of importance to the profession now and in the future. This will certainly not just improve the professional lives and pursuits of our members but will immensely enrich the profession with the needed human resource and capacity building necessary for a profession that is rising to take it’s place as the backbone of modern medicine in Ghana and beyond.

3. CENTRAL WELFARE: These will satisfy all the wellness and welfare needs of members:
i) GAMLS Medicare: A comprehensive health cover for members and their immediate family/dependents.
ii) GAMLS LifeCare: A Life Insurance policy that kicks in to the rescue when life takes a bend during critical illness, partial or permanent disability/incapacitation and if the unexpected (death) happens. Unlike regular insurance, this policy is specially agreed upon as Full CashBack Policy where members will be paid their total contributions back if by the grace of the Almighty God they safely survive their working life (ie upon retirement) at a competitive interest rate as total CashBack Payments.
iii) Classic Care (Social Welfare): where GAMLS steps in to pay statutory/regular welfare benefits to members when disaster strikes. Examples are Death of Spouse, Child or Parent, if a member gets involved in an RTA or even suffers a fire outbreak as happened to some of our members.
I will also set up a Central Welfare Account at the National Level to cater for such welfare needs.
NB: In all this we will collaborate with other organs in the association on these critical welfare interventions under Central Welfare Policy to ensure their effective implementation.
E. GAMLS CREDIT UNION: Will strengthen education and awareness creation to help increase patronage by members. Through demand generation activities such as regular educational campaigns on the potential benefits such as personal project financing , members will be motivated to subscribe.

FINANCING
a) Statutory i.e. Membership Dues : Since taken office we have taken the number of dues paying members from a little below 1500 to thereabout 6,000 currently resulting in substantial increase in revenue. I will continue to drive home more members from all spheres of GAMLS members and mop up free riders to increase our current revenue further.
c) Income Generating Venture/Permanent Business Interest: Because permanent cash flow is critical to the needs and effective running of our professional business, we will collaborate with the Organs to explore opportunities of high yielding yet lower risk businesses like bottle water production etc.
b) The Development Levy will be used solely for its intended purpose of augmenting the financing of the Secretariat building. Once it starts flowing to offset the financial strain, we will be able to do more.
c) Donations : These are funding’s from individuals.

d) Service for Support Initiative: This is a model that will offer GAMLS professional service to corporate entities and organizations intern for financial/equity support for our projects. Services like medical screenings with a health analytics report, occupational health and safety assessments of the entities, their practices etc in order to boost their health as wellbeing and productivity. So for instance we would approach these entities, say Toyota Ghana Limited, become their health and wellness provider in terms of medical screenings/annual/half year checkups and leverage on that for vehicular improvements. This leverage will also give us the opportunity to get this corporate entities to model their CSR projects to accommodate our proposals for activity and research funding of our collective interest.
In Conclusion, I have been able to help the current leadership to chalk significant achievements as your financial secretary.
I believe that the experience gained has positioned me to be the obvious choice to lead GAMLS to the next level.
A Vote for Adoley is a Vote for Competence, for a Consistent Strategic Thinker and Goal Getter, who serves you with Integrity, Commitment, Transparency and Trust.
Thank you Very Much.
God bless you good people of GAMLS whom am privileged to serve!
Long Live GAMLS !!!