Akwapim North District: Teachers Grow Wild Over Ghost Deductions On Salaries

Some teachers in the Akuapim - North District in the Eastern region of Ghana are up in arms against education authorities in the region over what they described as the illegal deductions from their salaries by the district education service without their approval.

Investigations conducted revealed that every month an amount of GHC5 is siphoned from teachers' salary in the name of a “District Teachers Welfare Association” which was imposed at all cost on them in the district.

The education service in the district formed an association called “Akuapim – North District Teachers Welfare Association with its members been teachers in the district which majority are protesting.

The purpose of the association, according to its constitution, was to unite, sympathize with members in times of bereavement, providing for the common good and promoting general welfare of members.

According to the constitution of the association, the association is open to all teachers in the district and new members shall complete a membership and nomination form to become a member.

Since 1st January 2005 the association started deducting an amount of GHC1 (One Ghana Cedis) which was later increased to five Ghana cedis to be deducted from all teachers' salaries in the district right from source at the Accountant-General's Department as dues in the name of the association.

These deductions have angered most teachers in the district and demanded immediate end to the deductions.

In a letter dated 6th July 2012 addressed to the district education director, the irate teacher demanded immediate termination of their membership because they have not sign any document to join the association and have not received any letter to join the association.

According to the teachers, the deductions are not in their best interest and have not given permission or backing for the deduction. They demanded cessation of the deduction and all deducted money returned.

Our investigations indicate that the letter of the aggrieved teachers to the district education director to stop the illegal deduction landed on deaf ears and the association continues to deduct the money.

Some teachers that spoke to our investigation team said they are not aware of those managing the association and all the money taken over the years has not been accounted for.

The teachers described the action of the district education service as fraudulent, illegal and an affront to their democratic right of freedom of association.

Mr. Nicholas Darko, the district education supervisor in a telephone interview confirmed the existence of the association.

He debunked allegation that teachers have not given their consent to the association, insisting that “all teachers are aware of the welfare association”.

“It will be unfortunate for anybody to say that he does not know anything about the welfare association and its managers, then that person is been irresponsible” he said.

Most teachers in the Akuapim – North District are not happy about the situation but are afraid come out say it because of plausible intimidation by the education service.

The teachers are making a passionate appeal to the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service to quickly intervene so that the district education service stops the day light robbery and refund the monies taken.