A group calling itself Victims of Salary Arrears (VOSA) has descended heavily on comments made President Akuffo Addo regarding the payment of all arrears due teachers.
The group,made up of Teachers who were owed arrears by government from 2013 to 2016 ,in a statement issued on Monday, June 18,2018 ,indicated that The President’s statement delivered during the 170th anniversary of the Presbyterian College of Education over the weekend, which indicates that all arrears relating to Teachers have been paid was a fallacy.
According to the group, the president indicated “In addition to this year’s 11% increase in basic salaries for teachers, the President revealed that Government has cleared all arrears, accrued between 2013 and 2016, owed teachers with respect to travel allowances, transfer grants and overtime allowances.”
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“We think this posture of the President is misleading and a palpable betrayal of trust. Either he has been ill informed by GES or MOE or misled into making statements that do not reflect the realities on the ground. We may not blame our president too much because he is not in touch with whatever happens on the ground.” the ground lamented.
However, the Teachers said they were greatly dissapointed in GES and MOE for creating the impression that all is well and seeking to print a false picture for the public viewing.
“We want to state emphatically without mincing words that the government has not paid all the arrears as it had been reported in the media. This unfair treatment of innocent Ghanaian teachers create more apathy and lack of commitment which mostly reflect in the falling standards of education.”it said.
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The Teachers urged the media to disregard any form of lies that would be peddled by GES and MOE.
”Currently, as we speak there are more than 30,000 teachers whose salary arrears are locked up in one way or the other and possibly no hope of receiving what’s due them.” it said.
“The most funny aspect of it is that all of them had been validated for payment. Unfortunately, a group of con men and women have taken over the desperation of some teachers and helping them individually to get their arrears backdoor.”the group alleged.
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“The most important thing is that the government must make it a point to pay all outstanding salary arrears. Transfer grants, travel allowances and overtime allowances are mostly meant for the GES directorate workers which we think the government must not rejoice over.”it said.
The Teachers are asking the government to as a matter of urgency, attend to the payment of teachers’ salary arrears and with immediate effect.
“The lies about the payment and the various whims and caprices surrounding it have reached their peak and we cannot swallow it anymore.We will take to the street and boycott classes if our demands fall on death ears.” they stressed.
Source :EducationGhana.net