GNAT Refutes Allegations

Sunyani(B/A), June 05, GNA - The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) on Tuesday refuted allegations made against it by the National Progressive Teachers Association (NAPTA) and called for a formidable united front of trade unions to fight the challenges of labour.

Mr Joseph Kwaku Adjei, National President of GNAT, addressing a press conference in Sunyani in reaction to NAPTA's allegations, said the split in the largest teachers' trade union would not help in confronting the challenges of labour.

He said the trade union movement was determined to form stronger links to address the challenges posed by the refusal of employers to grant workers better living conditions. Mr Adjei therefore, stressed the need for trade unions with a common purpose to move forward in unity in channelling their grievances for redress.

"Even the great international trade union centres are coming together and this is not the time for the already established trade unions to be tearing themselves apart, to the advantage of the employer. "Members should rather work together to strengthen their front so that they could deal with the challenges posed by the employer some of which have international dimensions as globalisation, acquisitions and mergers," he added.

On allegations that GNAT had continued to deduct money from the salaries of NAPTA members even after dissociating themselves from GNAT, Mr Adjei said, "We have never deducted money from any teacher's salary against his or her will."

"We have put a system in place by which members who want to discontinue their membership with GNAT are allowed to do so and the payment of their dues to GNAT stopped through the Controller and Accountant General's Department."

"Therefore we would be ready to contest any action NAPTA would like to take in this respect".

The GNAT President explained that, GNAT recognized the need to support the Ghana Education Service in building the capacities of teachers to function better, therefore, the association allocated a percentage of its dues for the professional development of members. He said the association collaborated with fraternal teachers' organizations including the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF), the Danish Union of Teachers for Youth and Early Childhood Education (BUPL) for capacity building for teachers in various subject areas such as leadership training and administration, English, Mathematics, French and Pre technical skills.

On allegations that leading members of NAPTA had been the target of abuse and threats from GNAT, Mr Adjei said GNAT had never threatened or abused any member of NAPTA "because that is never our stock in trade". "We believe strongly in the freedom of every individual to associate as his or her conscience deems fit and express themselves freely within the boundaries of the law prevailing in the country," he added.

Mr Adjei said the five-year development plan, was not a secret document, but a document that spelt out the development agenda of GNAT and had the component of capacity building for members. He said the current interest rate on loans provided by the teachers' fund was approximately 27 per cent per annum, contrary to the 35 per cent alleged by NAPTA.

Mr Adjei explained that it included an element of insurance that absolved the borrower and any of his or her next-of-kin from repaying the outstanding balance in the event of any serious calamity.

It would be recalled that last month, a new teachers group was formed with members accusing the parent group of not doing enough for their welfare.

NAPTA, the breakaway group from GNAT, said they decided to leave because the parent body did not have their interests at heart. The yet to be registered group with a membership of about 70,000 said bureaucracies and financial constraints had accounted for the delay in getting the union legalised.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, Mr Budu Yaw Asamoa, Acting National Coordinator of NAPTA, said this was because even though they had disassociated themselves from GNAT it was still deducting money from their salaries, a situation that was hampering progress of their work. He noted that joining GNAT had been made compulsory and the teacher had no option than to become a member after the initial training and asked that this be stopped in accordance with the new Labour Law and the constitution, which guarantee freedom of association.

Mr Asamoa said GNAT had failed to partner government to sponsor teachers to further their education.

He noted that since the formation of the union late last year, leading members had been the target of abuse and threats from GNAT but added that they were not perturbed.

According to NAPTA they were in total support of the new pay reforms as well as the new education reforms launched by the Government recently adding that they would help teachers to adequately prepare students for the future and not for examination purposes only. Mr Asamoa said NAPTA was not a threat to GNAT and noted that they should see their breakaway as a wakeup call and sit up to address issues bothering members as an association. 05 June 07