New Juaben teachers embark on strike

Koforidua, Sept. 22, GNA - The New Juaben Municipal Council of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has decided to embark on a strike action with effect from Monday, September 26, to pressurize government to honour the proposed increase in their salaries. The Council took the decision on Wednesday at an emergency meeting organised by the Municipal Secretary of the Association, Mr Frank Obeng, to brief the members on the situational report with regard to the implementation of this year's proposed salary increase by government. Members of the Municipal Executive of GNAT, local executive members and representatives of second-cycle schools in the Municipality also attended the meeting.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Obeng confirmed the decision of the Council and explained that the teachers were getting impatient with their leadership and as they were now getting difficult to control with regard to the negotiations on the proposed salary increase.

Narrating the background to the strike action, he said early this month, the General Secretary of GNAT, Mrs Irene Adanusa, held a press conference in Accra to express the displeasure of the association over government's backing down on a promised ten per cent salary increase for teachers and other civil servants under the Joint Forum with effect from March, a special monthly allowance from September to December this year and an upward review of re-imbursable allowances.

Meanwhile, information reaching the GNA at Koforidua indicated that teachers in the Akuapem North, Birim South, the Manya Krobo, Yilo Krobo and Afram Plains districts had already embarked on the strike action.