Teacher unions in the Eastern Region staged a protest in Koforidua on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, demanding the immediate disbursement of their allowances.
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The demonstration, part of ongoing labor activities, aimed to express dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to implement allowances agreed upon in their Collective Agreement since 2009 and after the 2020 agreement.
The allowances, reduced from 17 to 4 due to economic challenges, include the deprived area allowance, extra assessment allowance, book/data/online teaching support allowance, and continuous professional development allowance.
After marching through Koforidua’s main streets, the unions presented a petition to the Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, received on his behalf by the Regional Coordinating Director, Samuel Donkor.
The petition highlighted challenges faced by teachers due to economic conditions and government inaction.
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“We have had to hang on the thin line, with our members complaining bitterly.
These complaints have become worse, especially as our members are reeling under the utter hardship imposed on us all by the current economic conditions in the country,” stated Kafui Kwame Kusefe, Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers.
The teachers gave the government until May 31, 2024, to address their grievances, or they would escalate industrial actions.
Samuel Donkor assured swift action on the petition, which would be handed to the Regional Minister.
The unions also urged the government to distribute laptops under the “one teacher one laptop” program to teachers who haven’t received them despite deductions.
Dr. Mrs. Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, Eastern Regional Director of Education, assured teachers their concerns would be addressed and urged against disruptions to academic activities.
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