GNAT awaits President Mahama's response

The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) said on Tuesday that members are awaiting the response of President John Dramani Mahama, to determine their next step of action.

Mr Johnny Akpakli told Ghana News Agency that the association is not happy with the delay in payment of some allowances including promotions, incremental credits, transport and transfer grants and allowance for trainee teachers in the colleges of education.

He said at a crunch meeting in Accra on Monday, the President was given a three-day ultimatum to respond their agitations.

Mr Akpakli said at a meeting with the President, he directed them to document their grievances, which was presented to him last week Friday and he promised to study it and respond to them.

He said all teachers should put on red band from Thursday.

“Either the government meets the demands of GNAT and Organized Labour or we embark on our decision to go on serious demonstration all over the country,” he threatened.

The Regional Chairman however said, he is very optimistic the President’s response is going to be positive, adding that, the money in question is their own contributions and not for the government.

‘’We realised that Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), was not operating in our interest, that is why a committee was formed to look at the ways of building stronger pension scheme for workers in Ghana”, he said.

He said, when the first and 2nd pension scheme came up members thought it was going to help the association since they were supposed to do their own occupational contribution and manage the funds.

He said the association had fulfilled all the prerequisite requirements about the issue and therefore does not see the reason why government is not releasing the money to them.