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Teachers are better
off - Oboshie
Accra, Sept. 6, Ghanadot/GNA - Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie,
Minister of Information and National Orientation, on
Thursday said teachers under the present government were
better off than during the era of the previous
administration.
Expressing regrets about some statement made by Professor
Atta Mills, the presidential candidate of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) during his latest "door-to-door"
campaign at Teshie, she said there were a lot of things that
teachers could do with their salary, including clothing and
rent.
In a statement signed by Mrs Sai-Cofie, she said it was
unfortunate that Prof. Mills, a former Vice-President could
hide behind the cloak of party politics and try to throw
dust into the eyes of the public by intimating that the
ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) was not committed to the
welfare of teachers and had not done much to help.
She said the statement by Prof. Mills was without merit and
could not stand any critical analysis from the facts on the
ground.
"What the facts tell us is that the welfare of the teachers,
and indeed the entire Ghanaian populace, has been enhanced
under the NPP Administration."
She cited figures in December 1993 under the NDC government
when the annual salary of a "Certificate A" holder was
663,781.00 cedis, equivalent to 830.00 dollars.
In January 2007, under the NPP, a Certificate A holder's
annual salary had reached 17,04,227 cedis, equivalent to
1,851.00 dollars, adding that this had increased to
20,961,311 cedis or 2,264.00 dollars by April 2007.
"But government does not feel complacent about this and
wants to do more. It is the reason we are also assisting the
Ghana National Association of Teachers to clear their
vehicles without paying duties on them."
Mrs. Sai-Cofie said that teachers' bungalows were being
built in various parts of the country, while houses were
also being allocated to teachers under the affordable
housing scheme.
She said government would continue to support teachers in
all aspects of their endeavours due to the crucial role they
played in the socio-economic growth of the country.
GNA
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