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GNAT outdoors sponsored vehicles
for teachers
Accra, Nov 7,
Ghanadot/GNA- The Ghana National Association of Teachers
(GNAT) on Wednesday outdoored 34 out of its 52 acquired
second hand vehicles to be distributed to qualified
applicants of loans under the Teachers Fund (TF) Vehicle
Scheme.
The 52 vehicles were purchased at a total cost of 2.25
billion cedis with government support by waiving taxes on
their importation.
Premier beneficiaries of the scheme, who came from the
various regions of the country, with the Ashanti Region
having the highest of 28, are expected to repay the loans
within a period of between three to seven years, to make way
for others to benefit.
Mr Joseph Kwaku Agyei, National President, GNAT, at ceremony
to hand over the vehicles to the beneficiaries said the loan
scheme under the Teachers Fund, was one of the many plans
that the Association had to ensure that teachers lived
comfortable and decent lives to help boost their
performances.
He said apart from providing vehicles to facilitate
comfortable movement of teachers and raise their social
status, the Association had advanced plans to further
provide affordable housing schemes to ease the current
accommodation problems that confront teachers.
He explained that beneficiaries of the loan facility, which
ranged between 30 to 50 million old Ghana cedis should be
members of the Association, contributors to the TF, agree to
register the vehicle under comprehensive insurance and repay
loans between stipulated time, which ranged between three to
seven years.
He said membership to GNAT was opened to all teachers, who
currently made a monthly contribution of 25,000 cedis to the
TF, however the management of the Fund had agreed to
increase contributions to 50, 000 effective January next
year to ensure enough funding for its expanded projects and
programmes.
Mr Agyei advocated for greater collaboration between
government, the Association as well as all stakeholders in
education to ensure quality education and also a sustainable
scheme.
Mr Ofori Agyei, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Fund said
the facility would soon be expanded to include brand new
vehicles instead of the current second hand as well as
motorbikes.
He appealed to beneficiaries to repay their loans on
schedule for other applicant to benefit from the facility.
He disclosed that the TF would finance approximately 150
vehicles next year to cater for a wider percentage of
applicants.
Mr Agyei called on other teachers who were not yet
registered with GNAT to do so in order to benefit from the
many programmes and projects and further secure strong
advocating power for the progress of the teaching
profession.
Mrs Irene Duncan Adanusa, General-Secretary, GNAT, said
teachers faced a lot of challenges under the new educational
reforms and needed maximum support and collaboration from
stakeholders to help make the work easier.
She said the vehicle loan scheme as well as the affordable
shelter project, if well sustained, would raise the standard
of teachers and redeem the fallen image of the profession.
"The humiliating living conditions of teachers in the
country is currently being redeemed through various ways and
we hope that teachers would grasp the opportunity to make
their own lives better by contributing to the TF," she said.
Mr Opoku Kyei, a Special Assistant to the Minister of
Finance and Economic Planning, said government appreciated
the work of teachers in ensuring quality education and was
also committed to supporting every effort that would make
life comfortable.
He said the Ministry would ensure that the remaining
vehicles reached the Association by the end of the week.
GNA
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