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Delays in negotiating allowance categories for public sector workers in Ghana are adversely affecting the morale of teachers. That’s according to the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), an EI affiliate in Ghana. The National Executive of another EI affiliate, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has also expressed its disappointment at the way national authorities continue to treat educators.

The NAGRAT has deplored a lack of fairness and equity within the public sector, highlighting that educators are among the category of public sector workers disadvantaged in terms of allowances.

“It is worth noting that the elimination of inequities and the harmonisation of allowances are among the cardinal principles of the Pay Policy,” said the NAGRAT National Executive Committee in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting, held in May in Accra. “Unfortunately, inequities are currently still being perpetuated, as some public sector workers continue to enjoy considerable categories 2 and 3 allowances at the expense of others.”

Dire consequences

It further warned that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, and Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning’s failure to accelerate the negotiations on the various allowance categories would have dire consequences on social peace and harmony.

“NAGRAT is finding it extremely difficult to contain members’ growing anger,” said NAGRAT President, Christian Addai-Poku. “If the concerned authorities continue to thwart our efforts to get them back to the negotiation table, NAGRAT will not take responsibility for any negative outcome.”

Head count difficulties

The NAGRAT National Executive also expressed its concerns about the public sector workers’ head count exercise being conducted.

“Establishing only one station in each district as a registration centre for all workers in the district was unsuitable,” Addai-Poku said. “It led to the centres’ congestion. Some of our members arrived at registration centres as early as 5am, and stayed there until the centres closed, yet they were unable to register.”

Besides, giving each registration centre only two days for the exercise created unnecessary pressure, forcing workers to compete for registration. NAGRAT pointed out that the struggle and stress workers went through, having to stand in long queues to get registered, were dehumanising and must be stopped.

The National Executive, therefore, has called on the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, as well as the Controller and Accountant General’s Department conducting the head count exercise to increase the number of registration centres and the number of days given to each centre.

GNAT disappointment

The National Executive of the GNAT, at a meeting in Accra from 22-25 April, also expressed its disappointment at the way the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department continue to treat teachers in terms of the payment of arrears, placement of teachers on correct grades and non-payment of salaries of some newly recruited teachers since 2010, among others. Consequently, it called on the Government to take immediate steps to remedy the situation.

It declared that the Ghana Education Service should embark on a dynamic awareness-raising campaign and educate its employees on the implementation of the 2008 Education Act. This Act notably established several bodies in the education sector, and entrusted district assemblies with responsibility for the provision and management of pre-tertiary education in the country.

GNAT Acting National President, Samuel Doe Alobuia, said: “This new arrangement and its impact on education delivery have to be properly explained to teachers. There should be a clear road map drawn with regard to the transition from the status quo to the new legal and administrative framework for the management of pre-tertiary education.”