GNAT staff salaries correspond to teachers’ pay – Official
All career staff of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) are pegged on salaries corresponding to the grades they occupy in the Ghana Education Service (GES).
It is therefore strange for anybody to think that these officers would be “dumb” in negotiations for salary rise for teachers, because such increases essentially affect the GNAT officers as well.
Mr Mawunyo Vienyo Demanya, GNAT Deputy General-Secretary (Finance) made the assertion during the inauguration of North-Tongu District GNAT office complex at Adidome on Thursday.
He said it was preposterous to imagine that elected officers, who are all teachers under the GES, would do anything to weaken the teachers’ case for better conditions of service.
Mr Demanya said the current outpourings spearheaded by a “Coalition of Concerned Teachers,” for the ouster of GNAT officers was therefore uncalled for, since the Association had time-tested procedures for handling grievances.
He said GNAT had democratic structures from the base to the top and that concerns about the Association not rendering proper financial accounts was misplaced.
Mr Demanya said GNAT’s annual income and expenditure were perhaps the most widely exhibited corporate accounts sheet in Ghana.
He said GNAT’s structures and operations were celebrated the world over and therefore called on teachers to strive to know more about the Association in order not to be gullible or hoodwinked by others.
Regarding the project, which is said to be the first in the Volta Region, Mr Demanya said it was a reflection of what co-operation and visionary leadership could achieve.
Mr Samuel Doe Alobuia, GNAT Vice National President assured teachers that the Association was on course, to give teachers a good deal under the Single Spine Salary Structure.
“Don’t let your heart be tumbled because we are on course,” he stated and demanded that teachers gained understanding about the income policy as it unfolded to enable them appreciate the efforts of GNAT.
Mr Justice Ahiable District GNAT President said the idea for the complex was floated by Reverend Sekae Ernest Bankas, Secretary of the Association, 10 years ago, and received tremendous support from Mr Simpson Tsewor, the then Chairman.
He said the complex, which includes, a hostel yet to be completed had so far cost GH¢76,500.
In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Mawusi Buadi Alexander GNAT Regional Chairman said the Association’s infrastructural projects started some 20 years ago throughout the country had placed the Association on a “high pedestal yet to be matched by any Trade Union in Ghana and Africa”.
He promised that the Regional Council “will continue to support all districts that will initiate any project that will benefit members”.
The GNAT National Secretariat presented a cheque for GH¢5,000 to the North-Tongu Secretariat to boost the project.
The inauguration was attended by GNAT district secretaries in the region and teachers a few of who interjected the various speeches with disapproving statements about GNAT.
Source: GNA