Stop peddling falsehood to incite teachers

The Kumasi Metropolitan branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has expressed concern about what it said, the peddling of falsehood to stir anger and incite members against the leadership.

It said it found it distasteful attacks on its leaders by rival teacher associations - the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), and asked that this was stopped.

Mr. Victor deGraft-Etsison, the Metropolitan Chairman of GNAT, told a press conference in Kumasi that their conduct was a clear betrayal of trust and a stab in the back of their mother union.

He was reacting to claims by NAGRAT and CCT that GNAT’s refusal to join their recent street protest and strike action sought to convey the message that teachers were okay and had no grievances.

Mr. deGraft-Etsison said, being a professional and law-abiding organization, members believed in disciplined approach and the use of appropriate procedures to achieve results.

Touching on issues raised by the two unions, he said these had been jointly deliberated on by GNAT, NAGRAT, Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), CCT, and the relevant state institutions and agreements reached, with time lines for implementation of every single decision.

These included incremental credits, payment of not more than three months salary arrears, transfer grants and the second tier occupational pension scheme.

Mr. deGraft-Etsison said although GNAT was not against strike action by its rival unions, it thought it was inappropriate to “jump the gun, to lay down tools while negotiations with the government were still on-going”.

GNAT has come too far and would not do anything to jeopardize the welfare and future of its members.

Mr. deGraft-Etsison appealed to government to ensure that all agreements reached were implemented to the letter.