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NAGRAT to reject 10% pay
increase if offered
Accra, Feb. 21, Ghanadot/GNA - The Greater Accra Regional
Branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT)
on Thursday appealed to government to implement the proposed
Universal Salary Structure as soon as possible since life
was unbearable for majority of public workers.
It said the speculation of a 10 per cent salary increase
across board for this year for workers was unacceptable and
would only increase the disparities within the salary
structure as well as widen the existing gaps.
“We call on all Ghanaian workers to reject this 10 per cent
across board policy being speculated,” Mr. Eric Angel
Carbonou, Regional Chairman, NAGRAT, said at a press
conference in Accra.
He said in spite of the increases in fuel prices, with its
price hikes, the high cost of accommodation, increases in
school fees and the like, “the income of teachers and other
public sector workers has remained at the 2006 levels,” with
promises of a universal salary structure, which appears
cannot be implemented immediately.
“We want to use this opportunity to call on Government to
address the needs of the Ghanaian worker in relation to the
harsh economic conditions of the country,” Mr Carbonou said.
Touching on the proposed Three Tie Pension Scheme, the
Regional Chairman said it had been over three years since
the Bediako Commission presented its report to the
President.
“The President promised to have a quick study of the report
and also promised a prompt implementation.
“Up to date there is no sign of Government implementing the
new Pension Scheme for workers.”
“Our members continue to retire into poverty,” Mr Carbonu
said, and called on Government to quickly implement the new
pension Scheme to alleviate the suffering of poor workers
who had served the nation all their lives.
On the seizure of the October 2006 salaries of NAGRAT
members who went on strike, Mr Carbonou said, although the
Association had about 10,000 registered members, only 4,000
were affected by the action.
“Teachers who were not NAGRAT members were also affected,”
he said.
Mr Carbonou added that this was an indication that the
salary seizure was done without any scientific basis.
The Regional Chairman said NAGRAT deemed the seizure of
teachers’ salaries as illegal and therefore called on the
Controller and Accountant General’s Department to release
the salaries unconditionally and with interest since “we
know it has been lodged into a bank account”.
He also called on the national leadership of NAGRAT to begin
considering actions that would bring pressure to bear on the
Government, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana
Education Service to begin taking the concerns of teachers
seriously.
“We in the Greater Accra Region will begin taking actions
such as street demonstration, go slow at work and the like,
if government fails to address our concerns,” Mr Carbonou
said.
GNA
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