The general public is notified that the pre-tertiary education teachers are on strike.
Below is the press release by the 3 teachers union sighted by Constechz.com
Distinguished Media Guests, we welcome you to this occasion and also, express to you our thanks for your usual support evidenced by your presence.
Dear Media friends, this meeting is a reversion to you and the generality of the populace on our declarations at our earlier respective Press Conferences relative to the matter of Cost-of-Living-Allowance (COLA).
We wish to remind goverrnment of the responsibility imposed on her by Article 36 of the 1992 Constitution: thus, (1) “the State shall take all necessary action to ensure that the national economy is managed in such a manner as to maximize the rate of economic development and to secure the maximize welfare, freedom and happiness of every person in Ghana and to provide adequate means of livelihood and suitable employment and public assistance to the needy. (2) The state shall, in particular, take all necessary steps to establish a sound and healthy economy whose underlying principles shall include – (a) the guarantee of a fair and realistic remuneration for production and productivity in order to encourage continued production and higher productivity; (e) the recognition that the most secure democracy is the one that assures the basic necessities of life for its people as a fundamental duty.”
Colleagues, you may recollect, and without sounding repetitive and monotonous, that the Unions have severally called for the government’s grant of a 20% Cost-Of-Living-Allowance (COLA) to the Ghanaian Workers generally, and in particular, teachers and educational Workers of the Pre-Tertiary Education Level. These calls, unfortunately, have fallen on deaf ears. We wish to use this forum to express our displeasure over this insensitivity of the government regarding our demand.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our demand is influenced by the high level of inflation in the country; the incessant skyrocketing prices of fuel, goods and services, have eroded the already woefully so-called salary increases granted us as expressed in 4% and 7% for 2021 and 2022 respectively. Inflation in the country is currently 27.6% and continues to escalate ad infinitum; only God knows when this will abate.
We are very much appalled at the inept attitude of the government relative to our call for COLA. We have severally on different platforms and times made this call which fell on deaf ears of government. For instance, the several Press Conferences on this matter including the request
- A Press Conference addressed on 24 February 2022 by the Unions in Pre-Tertiary Educational Sector;
- A Press Conference addressed on 20 May 2022 by the Forum of Public Sector Unions; A passionate request contained in the 2022 May Day Speech; and recently, an official correspondence dated 24 June, 2022 by the Secretary-General of TUC, addressed to the President of the Republic of Ghana, have not had any acknowledgement from same. The “loud silence” of government on this matter is worrisome and leaves much to be desired of any government that cares about its workers.
We wish to unambiguously express our grave concern of excruciating pain of poverty that has been bestowed on the Ghanaian teacher and Education Workers and leaves us with inan auspicious state of affairs. The Members of the Unions in education can longer bear the hardship. Even more so, we reject the inequality of salaries in the public service of this country.
We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike having gone passed the June 30, 2022 deadline we gave government for the payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA). Consequently, we have decided to embark on a Strike Action, effective today Monday, July 4, 2022.
By this, we are informing the general public that, we are withdrawing all our services in all the Pre-Tertiary educational space. (Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff)
Thank you.
Source: Constechz.com