Teacher unions protest over unpaid allowances, issue two weeks ultimatum

The pre-tertiary teacher unions of the Eastern Region took to the streets of Koforidua on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, demanding the immediate disbursement of their allowances.

The demonstration, which is part of a series of labour activities, aimed to express dissatisfaction with the government's failure to implement the allowances agreed upon in their Collective Agreement since 2009 and after the 2020 agreement.

The allowances, which the unions say have been magnanimously reduced from 17 to 4 due to the current economic hardship the country finds itself in, include the deprived area allowance, extra assessment allowance, book/data/online teaching support allowance, and the upward adjustment of the continuous professional development allowance.

After marching through the principal streets of Koforidua amidst cheers from some pupils in schools along the streets, the unions presented a petition to the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, which was received on his behalf by the Regional Coordinating Director, Samuel Donkor.

They highlighted the challenges faced by teachers due to harsh economic conditions and the government's inaction.

"Despite this gesture of good faith from the Unions at the current negotiations, the government is still adamant and has demonstrated bad faith. This has often culminated in high-level despondency and disaffection for leadership, and the ongoing negotiations are not an exception," a portion of the petition read by Kafui Kwame Kusefe, Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, stated.

The petition continued, "We have had to hang on the thin line, with our members complaining bitterly. These complaints have become worse, especially as our members are reeling under the utter hardship imposed on us all by the current economic conditions in the country."

The teachers have given the government until May 31, 2024, to address their grievances, or else they will escalate their industrial actions.

"We wish to stress that we have had enough of the nonchalance, complacency, and aloofness of the Employer, and would thus not countenance this situation any longer because the Ghanaian teacher also deserves better. Consequently, we are giving the Employer until May 31, 2024, to address our concerns."

"We wish to state in the strongest terms that, should the Employer fail to address our demands on or before May 31, 2024, then we shall call on leadership to take decisive action in the interest of members."

Samuel Donkor, the Regional Coordinating Director, said the petition would be handed over to the Regional Minister, who was attending to an emergency assignment in the Akuse area, for swift action.

The unions, made up of members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana, also urged the government to deliver the laptops under the "one teacher one laptop" program to many teachers who have yet to receive them since they have already been deducted.

Dr. Mrs. Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, Eastern Regional Director of Education, assured the teachers that their concerns would be addressed and therefore urged them to ensure that their industrial actions do not disrupt academic activities.