Keta District on fire as teachers threaten strike action* In solidarity with missing colleague

TEACHERS IN the Keta District of the Volta Region have resolved to embark on an indefinite strike action in solidarity with their colleague, Mr. Wilson Tenu who disappeared on 9th September 2006 at Woe in the Keta District of the Region.

The teachers made this known in a petition presented to the Keta District Chief Executive, Mr. Edward Kofi Ahiabor after completing a six-hour peaceful demonstration from Woe through Tegbi to Keta.

The petition, which was read by the District Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr. Wise Quampah, called on the Chiefs and people of Woe to present Mr. Tenu, who was teaching at the Woe Salvation Army Basic Schools to the Police dead or alive.

The teachers threatened that teachers in the Woe community would withdraw their services if Mr. Tenu was not found and presented to the Police by the beginning of the third term, specifically the 1st of May 2007.

According to the petition, other teachers at the basic schools in the District would withdraw their services within two weeks if nothing was heard about the whereabouts of their colleague teacher and called on the DCE to use his offices to ensure that security agencies diligently go about their duties to unravel the mysterious disappearance of Mr. Tenu.

Earlier, teachers from primary and junior secondary schools in the Keta District, clad in red, marched to Mr. Tenu's house with placards, some of which read, 'Judiciary, say no to bribe', 'Do Proper Investigation', 'Stop Killing Teachers for Rituals', 'Where is our brother', 'Teachers are not animals', 'Stakeholders, help us to get Mr. Tenu alive' and 'Sit up Anlo Chiefs'.

The DCE, who received the petition, promised the teachers that the security would do everything possible to unravel the mystery surrounding the incident within the specified period GNAT requested for, and appealed to the teachers to go back to the classroom.

The DCE again commended the conduct of the teachers in the District, adding that their responses to the issue of the missing teacher reflected the level of unity and love that they have for one another and described the incident as unfortunate.

Mr. Ahiabor noted that the case of the missing teacher did not only bring embarrassment to the District but also has negative effect on development in the area, as investors would be scared away.

The teachers, who converged at the forecourt of the Keta District Assembly were however not satisfied with the DCE's statements and reacted immediately with, “No way, no class until we see our brother Tenu” as they sang and danced to patriotic songs and refused to go away after the DCE left them.

The DCE, who realised that the teachers were aggrieved and showed no sign of leaving the area, slipped quietly through the back door of his office, away from the multitude and was whisked away in his vehicle.

Some of the teachers who spoke to The Chronicle said they were now afraid of their environment, as they feel unsafe noting that similar incidents could happen to any of them if they remain in the area.

A teacher, Mr. Selorm Dusu who stayed in the same house with the missing colleague, told The Chronicle that about 7pm on the 9th of September, the missing teacher informed him that he was going to town but locked the girlfriend who was not feeling well in the room and has since not returned. He then reported the matter to the Police at Anloga.

The 29-year old Mr. Tenu completed the Peki Training College in July 2003 and on the 1st of September 2003 was posted to the Peki-Avetile Salvation Army Primary School. He was later transferred to the Salvation Army Primary School at Woe on the 1st of September 2005 where he got missing.