Teacher Unions Looming Demo as Ghana runs to IMF

Teacher Unions looming industrial action/ demonstration as Ghana runs to IMF for a possible bailout is a bad omen for governance and education at the pre tertiary level.

The unions have set aside Tuesday, 5th July for their press conference. The press conference according to a letter dated 1st July would be used to enlighten the public about happenings in the education sector.

“The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Teachers and Education Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU), Ghana National Association of Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) would hold a joint press conference on 5th July, 2022. The aftermath of this is a possible industrial action if the government fails to respond to their demands by a given date.

The notice further indicated that members of the various pre tertiary education unions should brace themselves for further directives.

Ahead of this conference announcement, the unions, individually, have been pressing home their demands for their Cost of Leaving Allowance (COLA) which the government has refused to honour indicating that the economic outlook of the country would not permit the payment of such an allowance.

Teacher unions and Ghanaians in general have had to face the current harsh economic conditions fuelled by high fuel prices which stand at Ghs10.99 and Ghs13.1 for petrol and diesel at the fuel pumps, high cost of food and non-food items, higher inflation which is pegged at 23.6% at of April 2022.

What this means is the real value or purchasing power of the Ghanaian worker’s take-home pay has lost value and can non longer purchase the same goods over the last six months.

The government’s entrenched position in the wake of the introduction of the e-levy which was described as the massiah of Ghana’s economy and deficit balance of payment has failed to help break even given the projects made by the government.

The e-levy only worsen the cost of living for individuals and businesses that use the electronic money transfer service.

With the government now heading towards the IMF for a bailout as the last minute option, the possibility of government paying teachers a deserved cost of living allowance is slim as IMF positionalities that may come with any financial commitments from the bailout may freeze the payment of such allowance.

Government financial resources have depleted over the last three months, which is partly caused by poor financial management and choices made by government.

While government is broke, it has also failed to be disciplined in its spending and is committed to funding a national cathedral when there are more pressing social, education and related challenges that need attention and financing.

Teachers, Teacher Unions Demonstration, Teachers Strike Action, COLA, Cost of Leaving Allowance, Teachers Cost of Leaving Allowance