The Eastern Region branch of National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has announced its readiness to join the intended nationwide strike action by the association after June ending over failure on the part of government pay teachers 20% cost of living allowance (COLA).
Addressing the media in Koforidua on Friday, the Eastern Regional Chairman of NAGRAT Godwin Awoonor -Yevu said teachers in Ghana are virtually living on “life support ” as a result of the unbearable hardship as “cost of living in Ghana today is rising with the speed of light which has and continue to affect livelihood of our members who are sacrificing to build this nation “
He explained further that ” prices of fuel,good and services continue to rise , introduction of new taxes had worsen the already bad situation, yet the teacher’s salary remain the same . Between January and now , fuel prices have increased by over 50%”
Goodwin Awoonor -Yevu stated that government’s failure to listen to Labour Unions call for 20% COLA to cushion public service workers since 2021 has brought the teacher union to its wits end.
He said “government has shown great insensitive to our plight and we as a union whose core mandate is to promote the welfare of our members cannot sit unconcerned whilst our members go through this suffering that has no end in sight …..We can no longer bear the pain.We therefore demand of our national leadership that ” if at the end of June ,2022 ,our COLA is not heeded to ,they have no option than to pay heed to clarion calls of our members to lay down our tools “.
Mr.Awoonor -Yevu explained that the teaching profession is experiencing unprecedented attrition rate due to poor condition of service which continue to deteriorate.
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Some of the Zonal Chairmen of NAGRAT who spoke to the media said the suffering of the teachers have been worsened by the Free Senior High School policy . The policy they say has increased enrolment vis-a-vis workload on teachers who work throughout the year without rest.
The Koforidua Zonal Chairman of NAGRAT ,Boakye Acheampong for instance lamented that “Most of us we don’t have accomodations on campus . we have to commute from far and near to the Schools and now we cannot buy fuel.You buy Ghc100 it is just for a day if you multiply Ghc100 by 30 days it is about Ghc3000 but my salary is not up to ghc3000 and my fuel alone is Ghc3000 how do I survive .So what we are saying is that we have been talking and talking and talking .I want my information to get to the general public .Now that we are making the noise ,nobody seems to be listening to us to tell the government this is what the teachers are saying so do something as soon as we strike then they come and tell as we are insensitive”
The Eastern Regional Gender Desk Coordinator Linda Ama Boadiwaa said ,many female teachers are suffering as a result of the hardship in the country especially those who commute long distance to schools.
“As a woman as a parent ,I feel for the children especially the final year students .But we cannot go to the class empty . Virtually teachers are now living from hand to mouth . Everything is very expensive especially we those that commute from distances to school places is not easy for us “.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
