Teachers nationwide withdraw services

Teachers across the country have declared strike over unpaid allowances. Three teacher unions - the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) say they will withdraw service from tomorrow.

Dubbed 'Strike Within Strike', the teacher unions in the Ghana Education Service (GES) say some of their colleagues have worked for several months but have only received salaries for three months.

They also raised issues with the payment of their incremental credit arrears as well as payment of transfer grants.

Teachers are further demanding payment of car maintenance allowance.

'We have been battling with some of these demands from as far back as 2013. The decision to carry out industrial action stems from the fact that some state institutions and state officials have deliberately refused to honour such payments and not even 'SUBPOENA AD TESTIFICANDUM' (General Form) from the National Labour Commission (NLC) could compel them to do so,' Raymond Boakye Darkwa, General Secretary of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers said in a statement.

'As leaders of teacher unions, we believe we have exhausted all avenues in attempt to resolve our grievances and yet no cogent solutions seem to have been found. We cannot also sit down for Ghanaian teachers to be used as a subsidy to the national budget, hence the need for “STRIKE WITHIN STRIKE,” he explained.

The statement also accused the Finance Minister, Mr. Seth Terkper of initiating numerous teacher-unfriendly policies such as stopping of the tax waiver on imported vehicles for teachers, and stopping teacher training allowances.

'It is important to note that for almost three years (i.e under the watch of Hon. Seth Terkper) the Ghana Education Service has never received even up to 20% of its budgetary allocation and this accounts for the lack of chalk, teachers note books, and other teaching and learning materials in our schools,' Baokye Darkwa claimed.

Teachers numbering 5000, have not been paid their salaries due to 'wanton interference' by the Finance Minister in the affairs of the Ghana Education Service, Vice President of NAGRA, Angel Carbonu added in an interview with Joy News' Hannah Odame.

Already twelve public sector unions referred to as the Forum, including the three teacher groups, are on strike over the operationalization of their second tier pension scheme.

As to what would happened if the Forum ends their strike, Mr Carbonu insisted, 'Teachers will still remain on strike even if public sector workers call off strike'