The Northern Regional Branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) have given their leadership up to 30th June 2022, to ensure government grant them the Cost-of-Living Allowance (CoLA).
According to the group they will be forced to lay down their tools on July 5, 2022, if leadership fail to heed to their call for CoLA.
it is reported that, the General Sectary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, during this year’s May Day celebration, made a passionate appeal to the President to use his executive powers to grant a Cost-of-Living Allowance (CoLA) of at least 20 percent to all public service workers including the Armed Forces, the Police Service, the Prison Service, the Immigration Service and all security and Intelligence Agencies”.
The leadership of NAGRAT at a press conference on Wednesday June 22, 2022 in Tamale, indicated that, vice President of NAGRAT, Mr. Jacob Anaba, during a press conference on 7th June, 2022, also re-echoed the request, saying government as a matter of urgency grant workers CoLA to ameliorate the hardship that the Ghanaian worker is facing.
Northern Regional Chairman of NAGRAT Abdulai Seidu Gong, who addressed the media on behalf of his members bemoaned that, the Prices of fuel, goods and services continue to rise by the day, the introduction of new taxes has worsened the situation, yet the teacher’s salary remains the same.
“The teacher today is virtually living on ‘life support’.” He lamented.
“Government has shown great insensitivity to our plight and we as a Union whose core mandate is to promote the welfare of our members cannot sit unconcerned whilst we go through this suffering that has no end in sight.”
Read the Full Statement Below:
PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY MR. ABDULAI SEIDU GONG, NORTHERN REGIONAL CHAIRMAN OF NAGRAT, ON WEDNESDAY 22ND JUNE, 2022 AT THE REGIONAL SECRETARIAT, TAMALE
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, we have once again invited you here as our partners to plead with you to inform the government through your medium about the deteriorating economic conditions of teachers and for that matter Ghanaian workers in general. It is trite knowledge that cost of living in Ghana today is rising with the speed of light which has affected and continue to affect the livelihood of our members who are sacrificing to build this nation.
Prices of fuel, goods and services continue to rise by the day, the introduction of new taxes have worsen the already bad situation, yet the teacher’s salary remains the same. Between January and now, fuel prices have increased by over 50 percent. The teacher today is virtually living on ‘life support’.
In the face of these challenges, Labour Unions pleaded with government to cushion the Ghanaian worker by granting Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA) to help mitigate the mass suffering of the Ghanaian worker.
At this year’s NATIONAL MAY DAY PARADE held at the Black Star Square, Accra on 1st May 2022, which had H. E the President and H. E the Vice President of our dear nation in attendance, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, made a passionate appeal to the President and I quote “Mr President, I would like to conclude with a special request. Given the rising cost of living, due to high inflation in the country, we would like to humbly appeal to you to use your executive powers to grant a Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA) of at least 20 percent to all public service workers including the Armed Forces, the Police Service, the Prison Service, the Immigration Service and all security and Intelligence Agencies”.
Prior to this request by the Secretary General, in November 2021, NAGRAT, GNAT, CCT and TEWU had made similar requests.
Again, on 7th June, 2022, the Vice President of NAGRAT, Mr. Jacob Anaba, in a press conference, requested that. the government as a matter of urgency grant workers CoLA of at least 20 percent to ameliorate the hardship that the Ghanaian worker is facing. Let no one takes the coincidence of the 20 percent for granted
Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, sadly, government has shown great insensitivity to our plight and we as a Union whose core mandate is to promote the welfare of our members cannot sit unconcerned whilst we go through this suffering that has no end in sight.
We have come to our wits end; we can no longer bear the pain. We therefore demand of our National Leadership that, if at the end of June, 2022, our call for CoLA is not heeded to, they have no option but to pay heed to the clarion call of our members to LAY DOWN OUR TOOLS.
WE THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
Mr. Abdulai Seidu Gong
(Northern Regional Chairman) _________________
(0243072142/0209740572)
Namawu Adam
Gender Desk Coordinator
0266532464
Issahaku Simila
Finance Officer, N/R
0209818484
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu
