Legacy Arrears: We Are Disappointed In GES—Association Of Aggrieved Teachers

The issue of legacy arrears keeps on becoming milkier day after day with the teachers at one hand claiming not to have received their arrears whilst the government on the other end claim to have paid the arrears in full.

Meanwhile, the affected teachers who happen to be the beneficiaries of the legacy arrears have on Saturday the 5th of September, 2020 issued a press statement to discredit the position of the Ghana Education Service in a statement issued by the Director-General of Ghana Education Service in support of the government's claims of having cleared all arrears.

According to the aggrieved teachers, the claims made by the Director-General (Prof Kwesi Opoku-Amankwa) that they have cleared all salary arrears is a mere fallacy and hence the general public should disregard it outrightly.

"But we as affected teachers want to state categorically clear that the statements published by the Ghana Education Service are blatantly misleading and the public should disregard it with the contempt it deserves.", they vehemently opposed.

They also indicated that they are not happy with the way the government is handling the payment of the legacy arrears and therefore expressed their disappointment in GES for siding with the government to dupe them.

The teachers however clarified that none of them have received their arrears and hence GES should not rely on data to mislead or deceive the public.

"The only thing that can be used as evidence of payment of salary arrears is the bank account and not data from Audit service or Controller And Accountant's General or even Ghana Education Service. Our bank accounts indicates that the arrears have not been paid." , the aggrieved teachers expressed their views in dissatisfaction.

In the press statement, the teachers explained that aside the fact that some people from 2013, 2014, and 2016 have received some of their salary arrears, not even a single person from the 2015 year group has received the arrears of which they have documents to prove their stand.

They leverage on the opportunity thereby calling on the National Peace Council, National House of Chiefs, Catholics Bishops Conference, Opposition political parties, Conference of Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches, and other Civil Society Organizations to come to their aid whilst stressing on the September ending ultimatum given to the government.

"Until then, we are still going by the September 2020 ultimatum, how the government is going to team up with the responsible offices to ensure the payment reaches our accounts by the end of the month is our back case.", they strongly advised.

In conclusion, they as well called the media and the public to once again disregard the claims by the Ghana Education Service since there is no iota of truth in their claims.

READ FULL STATEMENT BELOW

ASSOCIATION OF AGGRIEVED TEACHERS- LEGACY ARREARS (2012-2016)

5th September, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

(To all media stations FM, TV, Print, Online)

Director General of GES claims are inaccurate; We are disappointed in GES for claiming to have paid all legacy arrears

We have read with shock and disbelief, a statement issued on the 2nd of September, 2020 by the Director General of the Ghana Education Service ( Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa) claiming to have paid our salary arrears.

We are not so much surprised for a government appointee to demonstrate this absolute sign of unflicting support for the government.

But we as affected teachers want to state categorically clear that the statements published by the Ghana Education Service are blatantly misleading and the public should disregard it with the contempt it deserves.

As we speak, this issue of salary arrears which dates back to 2013 has created so much discomfort for us as affected teachers. And we want to make it emphatically clear that we are not happy with the way government is handling it.

We are so much disappointed in our employer, the Ghana Education Service (GES) for making such false claims. The cheating, lies and frustration surrounding the payment of this money has become too much. We are by this press release sounding a strong word of caution to the GES that they should not be

under the orders of their political masters by whose Command we believe they are acting else the end results will be unpleasant for both of them, GES and the government.

The only thing that can be used as evidence of payment of salary arrears is the bank account and not data from Audit service or Controller And Accountant's General or even Ghana Education Service.

Our bank accounts indicates that the arrears have not been paid.

we can authoritatively state that, aside the fact that some people from 2013, 2014, and 2016 have received some of the salary arrears, not even a single person from the 2015 year group has received the arrears and we have documents to prove this claim.

We are therefore calling on the National Peace Council, National House of Chiefs, Catholics Bishops Conference, Opposition political parties, Conference of Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches, and other Civil Society Organizations to intervene on our behalf.

Until then, we are still going by the September 2020 ultimatum, how government is going to team up with the responsible offices to ensure the payment reaches our accounts by the end of the month is our back case.

The media and the public should once again disregard the claims by the Ghana Education Service since there is no iota of truth in their claims.

ALUTA CONTINUA....!!!

Nana Opoku Foster

National President

0541405425

Effah Kweku Tabiri F

National PRO

0242227930

Abraham Acheampong

National Organizer

0248475565

Stephen Ankamah