Bawumia slams ‘419’ teacher postings

Plans by government to post newly-trained teachers without appointment letters has been described by the vice-presidential nominee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as “propaganda and 419”.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has said it will begin postings for newly-trained teachers who will not be required to start work until the necessary paperwork for the payment of their salaries has been completed.

This was contained in a memo dated September 14, 2016, and signed by GES Deputy Director-General Cynthia Bosumtwi-Sam.

According to the directive, the recruited teachers “are not to be in the classroom to teach”. Formal letters and salaries will also be paid only after financial clearance by the Ministry of Finance.

“All Metro/Municipal/District (MMD) Directors of Education should submit the returns on the postings of the newly-trained teachers to their respective Regional Directors for onward submission to their respective Regional Directors for onward submission to the GES headquarters not later than 30th September, 2016,” the directive added.

But speaking to supporters of the NPP in the Adenta constituency as part of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s tour of the Greater Accra Region, Dr Bawumia said: “When we (NPP) were in government for 8 years, we had GHC20 billion from loans and taxes.

We developed the country well with this GHC20 billion. We introduced the Free Maternal Healthcare, National Health Insurance [Scheme], National Youth Employment [Programme], School Feeding, Metro Mass Transit, Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty. We paid the teacher training allowances and the nurse training allowances, all from the GHC 20 billion.

“Within the eight years of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), they have had GHS248 billion but have collapsed the NHIS, the National Youth Employment [Programme], School Feeding [Programme], Metro Mass [Transit], nurse training and teacher training allowances...

“When you are looking for jobs today you will not get, the Ministry of Education is giving propaganda postings to teachers. They have not given appointment letters but they say they (teachers) should go and teach. This is unheard of, it is a propaganda positing, 419 posting. We want to assure the teachers that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has good plans for them.

“Nana Addo will give them appointment letters to teach, the allowances will also be restored, we will fix the economy, and so we should all vote massively for him.”