4 Teacher Unions Defend Calls For COLA
Four teacher unions have defended their call on government for Cost-Of-Living-Allowance (COLA).
The Four teacher Unions which are made up of teaching and non-teaching staff are; Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Confirmed Teachers Ghana (CTG), and the Ghana Education Service are fed up with the no action from government despite numerous press conference dating way back.
According to the President of NAGRAT, Mr. Angel Carbonu the cost of living in the country has become unbearable as transport fares, fuel prices and commodities have increased.
It is to this that the four unions are calling on the government to provide them an allowance to cushion them as they work in the education sector.
“There’s been value reduction when it comes to our salary, you would need more money to make purchases. And there’s this trend where the cost of items increases overnight. Living has become difficult of late and the government is aware, someone who lives at Dodowa and works in Accra has had his or her transport fare doubled and at times you will have to pick two or three cars to get to your destination. So if transport alone is taking our monies then what’s the essence?
“The hardship is real, give us our Cost-Of-Living-Allowance, something to cushion us, we’ve raised this issue over and over. All three regional secretariat of NAGRAT has held several press conferences yet there’s been no call from government to engage us on COLA, we’ve had enough and we’re fed up so we have laid down our tools”.
He added that until their plights are being heeded, they will continue to lay down their tools.
The four teacher Unions yesterday embarked on a strike following the government’s failure to provide their Cost-Of-Living-Allowance (COLA) despite several calls.
“Currently, Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Confirmed Teachers Ghana (CTG) and those of us at the Ghana Education Service including teaching and non-teaching staff, our cooks, drivers are all on strike”, he added.
Source: Opemsuo.com/ Monica M. Appiah-Manu
