'Can your salary buy a Land Cruiser?' – Eric Carbonu challenges journalist over teachers’ pay

Former NAGRAT president Eric Angel Carbonu has challenged journalist Nana Yaw Fianko to disclose his monthly salary and conditions of service after Fianko accused teacher union executives of failing to fight for better pay for teachers.

Nana Yaw Fianko, popularly known as “Speaker”, had argued that teachers continue to suffer because of the people leading their unions.

“All the suffering that teachers are going through is because of the executives leading the teacher unions. About 70 percent of their problems are caused by such executives,” he said.

His comments drew a sharp response from Carbonu, who questioned whether Fianko himself earns more than teachers he was criticising.

“Nana Yaw Fianko of Atinka FM, how much is your monthly salary? Do you work under conditions of service?” Carbonu asked.

He said Fianko works under a contract that can be renewed or not, and claimed that his take-home pay is not more than that of an Assistant Director II in the Ghana Education Service.

“Your take-home pay is not more than that of an Assistant Director II in the Ghana Education Service. You say teachers cannot buy Land Cruisers but I wonder how many public servants can afford Land Cruisers,” Carbonu said.

He then turned the Land Cruiser argument back on Fianko, asking, “But you, Nana Yaw Fianko, can you buy a Land Cruiser?”

Fianko had also accused teacher union leaders of being too close to politicians and putting their personal interests ahead of teachers’ welfare.

“The executives are always in bed with politicians. The leaders are always after their pockets and stomachs,” he said.

-mynewsgh