Concerned Teachers Cry Out

A teachers’ grouping, Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), has taken issue with a development regarding the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

The anomalous development, according to the grouping, is contained in a document said to emanate from the Secretariat of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), adding that in view of the poor management of the SSSS by their representatives, they should resign forthwith from their positions.

“We are giving GNAT leadership, especially the General Secretary, Madam Irene Duncan Adenusa, the National President, Paul Apanga, and the Deputy General Secretary in charge of labour relations, Mr. Awotwe Nkansah, one week to resign honourably.”

Giving grounds for the call at a press conference in Accra, spokesperson for the President of CCT, Ernest Opoku, said that the current leadership of GNAT had performed abysmally, adding that their actions and inactions before and after the implementation of the SSSS gave grounds to call for their resignation.

Opoku further observed that the leadership of GNAT was superintending over a constitution full of undemocratic provisions, under which “they seek to protect their own selfish interests to the detriment of the members, especially article 32 and 44 of GNAT constitution”.

He elaborated that “CCT has come to the realization that their continuous stay in office by GNAT executives means teachers will not get anything good in terms of remuneration, using the SSSS negotiation as a yardstick.”

The group however cautioned government not to be deceived by the call for GNAT executives to resign, but rather to be on the lookout as “we are telling government through the National Labour Commission that the CCT is waiting patiently to be called to justify the proposal we sent to them.”

The spokesperson was also quick to note that the group had, through their struggle, made some achievements.

“National Labour Commission has tasked Ghana Education Service to work on all promotions locked up for years; they also tasked fair wages commission to remove the tax component on the retention premium by the end of June 2011,” he noted.

He added, “With one voice, one spirit and one united front, the better conditions of service for teachers, now or never slogan, is achievable”, he reiterated.