Many a Ghanaian citizen was taken by uttermost surprise and shock on the 1st of March 2011. It was on this fateful day that all Ghanaians cried out in shock and awe in solidarity with the hardworking teachers of this country who justifiable felt deceived, swindled and bamboozled by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC). Whiles a section of teachers took a swipe at the national executives of GNAT for their inability to fight the cause of teachers, others pointed accusing fingers on CLOSSAG for being unable to plead their cause. The brouhaha and hullabaloo continues across the length and breadth of the nation with teachers and other GES staff complaining incessantly and expressing their justifiable grievances and agitations on the airwaves, through threats of demonstrations and sit-down strikes as well as other forms of protests. From Techiman to Dormaa Ahenkro through to Kumasi, there are reports of teachers in venting their spleen on almost everybody in sight as they have been left in a state of haplessness so far as the SSSS is concerned. However it is an undeniable fact that the principal perpetrator of this heinous crime committed on virtually the entire GES membership is the government of the day led by Prof. J E A Mills The idea of the Single Spine Salary Structure is one out of many greatest assets the Kufuor Administration left behind which is undisputable. However, due to the Propagandist nature of the Mills-Mahamma government, they turn to put spine on it by delaying the implementation of the SSSS which is suppose to bring an end to all kinds of agitations in the public sector so far as wages and salaries are concerned.
Also, the propagandist nature of the NDC government who are still behaving like opposition leaders, inspired them to catapult the Police personnel for an astronomical increase in salary just to use them fort intimidation in 2012. Teachers across the country who went to the banks on Tuesday morning beaming with smiles of optimism, returned not only with disappointment but with long faces to express their shocking moment in their entire life as Teachers. The then candidate Mills who many have seen not to be the humble person promised the people of this country to be a father for all but the latest one which has come to confirm his incompetence and hypocrisy is what happened on Tuesday morning when Teachers went to the banks with high hopes of Drastic Salary increment because of the kind of propaganda they run with the backdrop that Atta Mills is a teacher and will care for teachers should he become the president of this country. Low and behold teachers listened and voted with the aim of putting a teacher in the realms of affair. Their anxiety even triggered when The Police Service was enrolled on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) increased their pay Drastically amidst blowing of trumpet from the government which many people saw as an attempt to buy the Police in order to use them as a source of intimidation against the opposition during election 2012. How on earth should a policeman who entered the service with JHS certificate receive almost double the Salary of a new Degree Holder Teacher (Graduate Teacher).
Upon the uproar on various Tertiary Campuses, especially our College of Education Institutions UCC, UEW Student teachers, We the Tertiary Student Confederacy Of New Patriotic Party in Central Region wish to condemn this action by all standard. It is our fervent hope that, the government will not remain arrogant but will put teachers on the same structure of the Police of which we know almost all Teachers will receive more deserving than the Police, because of the level of qualification .Currently some teachers have received downward review of their original salary whiles some have had just GH¢20.00.
BY: SAMUEL ANNOBIL BAIDOO CENTRAL REGIONAL TESCON COORDINATOR
