Teachers to embark on strike action to back their demand

Accra, Jan. 15, GNA - Teachers of Awudua Methodist Primary and Junior Secondary School, and Roman Catholic Primary School in the Wassa West District of the Western Region have threatened to embark on a prolong strike action to back their demand for mass transfer for security reasons.

"We are scared because of insecurity and lack of peace in the area due to the protracted chieftaincy dispute, our lives are in danger," the teachers stated in a petition letter to both the Western Regional Manager of Schools, Catholic and Methodist Education Unit. The letters, signed by Mr Francis Otchere and Mr Paul Erzuah Head teachers of the two schools respectively explained that since 2002, most teachers in the community had suffered the wrath of a section of the citizenry during conflict situations.

"We have lost our properties, attacked and received death threats, and cannot continue to work under such conditions," the letters stated and appealed to the Education Unit to immediately move all staff from the disputed area.

Meanwhile in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, the Apintohene of Wassa Traditional Area and chief of Awudua, Nana Kwabena Angu II, has appealed to the teachers to exercise restraint and rescind their decision to go on strike.

He assured the teachers of his personal intervention to find an early solution to the problem and advised them to go back to school for the sake of their innocent pupils.

Nana Angu also appealed to the youth, opinion leaders and all sides to the protracted dispute to exercise restraints and respect efforts by the Traditional Council to settle the differences. These should be done in a manner to avoid heightening of tension, threats of strikes, and counter productive activities. He said, "I personally appreciate the difficulties facing the teachers and ready to support any measures to improve security situation in the town."