Four teacher unions have declared an indefinite nationwide strike over government’s inability to grant them their 20 per cent Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
The Unions were the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT-Ghana), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU).
It follows the June 30, 2022 deadline given to government to institute the COLA to avoid any actions. The strike takes effect from Monday, July 4, 2022.
The General Secretary of GNAT, Mr Thomas Tanko Musa, who made the announcement at a joint press conference yesterday in Accra, said their demand was influenced by the high level of inflation in the country as well as the incessant skyrocketing prices of fuel, goods and services.
He said the situation had eroded the already “woeful” four and seven per cent salary increment granted to them by the government for 2021 and 2022 respectively.
“Inflation in the country is currently 27.6 per cent and continues to escalate an infinitum; only God knows when this will abate.
“We are very much appalled at the inept attitude of the government relative to our call for COLA. We have severally on different platforms and times made this call which fell on deaf ears of government. For instance, the several press conferences on this matter including the other request,” Mr Musa said.
He said the Unions had been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on their intention to go on strike.
“We wish to unambiguously express our grave concern of the excruciating pain of poverty that has been bestowed on the Ghanaian teacher and education workers and leaves us with an inauspicious state of affairs.
“Members of the unions in education can no longer bear the hardship. Even more so, we reject the inequality of salaries in the public service of this country,” Mr Musa said.
Present at the press conference were the President of NAGRAT, Mr Eric Agbe-Carbonu, General Secretary of TEWU, Mr Mark Korankye and President of CCT-GH, Mr Awudu King Ali.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
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