Ghana Teacher Unions, July 8, SIXSCRIBES- Honorable Bright Wireko-Brobbey, the Deputy Employment and Labour Relations Minister, has made an appeal to the striking Ghanaian teacher in the public sector to go back to the classroom.
The four teacher unions in Ghana are on strike over an unpaid 20% Cost Of Living Allowance (COLA) due their members.
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Ghana, the minister admitted that teachers have legitimate concerns but the country is currently in dire period. He said the government has heard the demands of the four teacher unions and is visiting appropriate books to attend to the situation.
“Government is in a very dire situation, so we explained to them that the times are not too good, and therefore we were pleading with them. We recognize the fact that they have a legitimate concern, but the timing is not too good, and therefore we have heard them and they should go back to the classrooms while we continue to look at our books and see what we can do for them. They have said they will go and do more consultations and come back to us, but they wish that if we also have some definitive positions, we should call them, and they are ready anytime to meet with us.” Honorable Wireku-Brobbey said, speaking on City News.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, has expressed in speech that the unified unions will not fall for persuasion and pressure to return to the classrooms. He added teachers are poised for any action until the allowance is paid diligently.
“If they go to court to get an injunction, we will organize, go to court and set that injunction aside. When you go to court ex-parte, you have not given opportunity for the judge to listen to the other group. This time, if they go to court ex-parte, we will ask our legal people the next day to go to court to set that ex-parte injunction aside,” he said on Eyewitness News.
A meeting with government ended inconclusively later today. The parties have therefore resolved to reconvene on Tuesday 12th July, 2022 at 2:00pm to begin negotiations on the demand.
