Ghana: Teachers mobilise for better conditions

Hundreds of members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), one of EI’s national affiliates in Ghana, together with the Concerned Teachers Association of Ghana, staged a massive demonstration in Kumasi on 20 May to protest against poor working conditions.

Teachers marched on Kumasi’s main streets wearing red armbands, chanting and demanding an immediate response by the government to their demands.

Among other things, the teachers demanded increased allowances while teachers’ entire salaries are in arrears by nearly two years.

NAGRAT President Angel Karbonu, who presented a petition to the Regional Minister, Samuel Sarpong, also demanded a quick fix to pension contributions.

Delays a cause for concern

“We regret the government’s decision to defer the teachers’ demands to the tripartite committee to reach a solution,” he said. “This committee does not have timelines within which to resolve the teachers’ challenges and that is a great source of worry, especially for teachers retiring in the next few months.”

Any further delays would have dire consequences on affected teachers, he went on to stress.

The Regional Minister said that the Government is aware of the educators’ demands. He called on the teachers to be patient as the Government attempts to answer their demands.