COVID-19: Teachers call on Unions to show concern for teachers welfare

In the wake of the COVID-19, teachers are calling on Teacher Unions in Ghana to show concern for their members during this COVID-19 pandemic and to act swiftly. The welfare of teachers is paramount, and this is a great opportunity for the unions to show their welfare spirit towards teachers.

While it may look as though the unions (GNAT, GNAGRAT, and CCT) are not concerned about the wellbeing of their members, newsghana24.com is yet to sight any relief program or project by any of the unions in Ghana geared towards teachers in the country.

• Coronavirus and Emerging Advancement of Society
• Dear Minister for Education… comma

Some educationists have called on the leadership of the unions to think of the welfare of teachers who have been contributing their quota in the form of membership dues to the various unions.

A post sighted by newsghana24.com purported to be emanating from Mr. Alex Ofori-Barnes, the Akim Ofoase Local GNAT Chairman in the Akyemansa District has called on the unions to be proactive.

While being very grateful to H.E. NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO ADDO, for all his efforts and relief steps and interventions taken so far in this season of COVID-19,  Mr. Alex Ofori-Barnes also called on the leadership of (GNAT, GNAGRAT, and CCT) to consider five suggestions he has proposed to ease the impact of COVID-19 on members.

He proposed that…

1. That, teacher unions(eg. GNAT) should provide some relief items to all their members across the country.
2. That, the unions should suspend all Loan deductions of their members for a period of three months (April, May, June) to relief members of their financial burden in this pandemic season.
3. That, the unions should propose to government to stop taxation of all government workers for a period of three months( April,May, June) to relief workers of their financial burden in this pandemic season.
4. That, the unions should propose to the government to stop every deduction of government workers be it loans, credit facilities and others for a period of three months to relief workers of their financial burden in this pandemic crisis.
5. That, GNAT should propose to SSNIT to pay back to its members by giving some relief items to its members to support their basic burdens due to the pandemic.

He is of the view that these are some essential support that the unions can offer members at this critical moment. Will Teacher Unions in Ghana listen?

Source: NewsGhana24.com