Call off strike pending negotiations – Akufo-Addo appeals to teachers

President Akufo-Addo has made a passionate appeal to striking teacher unions in the country to as a matter of necessity, call off their 6-day old strike as government continues negotiations with them on their demand for 20% to 30% cost-of-living allowance (COLA).

Addressing Muslim faithful at the Independence Square at their Eid-ul-Adha celebration today Saturday 9 July 2022, President Akufo-Addo, said he is hopeful that the ongoing negotiations will yield positive results.

Government’s sacrifices

President Akufo-Addo observed that all Ghanaians are “going to have to make some sacrifices to afford” the nation “space to navigate the trouble waters of the current economic difficulties”.

“In the case of government, discretional expenditures of ministries, departments and agencies have been cut by 30%. The salaries of all political appointees including myself, have been reduced by 30%. Fuel coupon allocations have been slashed by 50% and other expenditures suspended” the President said.

COLA demand

In his address, the President noted that he is “very much aware that some teacher unions have declared a strike in pursuit of a 20% cost-of-living allowance demand”.

“I am happy that yesterday (8 July 2022), the teachers were joined by other members of organized labour under the umbrella of the Trade Unions Congress (TUC), to sit down with government, led by the Ministers for Employment and Labour Relations and Education to begin negotiations on this matter” the President said.

“I want to add my voice to the appeal by the outstanding Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, the honourable Ignatius Baffour Awuah, for the teachers to return to the classrooms pending the outcome of these negotiations so that that education of our children, some of whom are preparing to sit their final exams, is not affected” the President further stated.

Teachers strike

At least four teacher unions in Ghana are currently on an indefinite strike over demands for cost of living allowance (COLA).

They are the Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union.

The strike began on Monday 4 July 2022, after the unions said government failed to meet their 30 June deadline to pay their members between 20% and 30% of their salaries as cost of living allowance.

“We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike having gone passed the 30 June deadline we gave government for the payment of cost of living allowance,” the general secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah, said when he addressed the media at the start of the strike.

“Consequently, we have decided to embark on strike from today, Monday 4 July 2022. By this, we are informing the general public that we are withdrawing services in all the pre-tertiary education institutions. This includes teaching and non-teaching staff.,” he added.

Ongoing Negotiations

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, in a statement dated 8 July 2022 and signed by the sector Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, noted that “the Government, represented by the Ministers for Employment and Labour Relations, Finance, Education and National Security on one hand; and Organized Labour on the other, held an Emergency Meeting on Friday 8th July 2022, at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations
Conference Room on the pending strike.

The statement explained that “the Parties wish to state that: first, “Government has taken note of the demand by Organized Labour for 20% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) in the light of the current economic conditions prevailing in the country”.

Secondly, “Government is committed to engaging Organized Labour to find a lasting solution to same”

Lastly, “Government has appealed to the Teacher Unions to call off their ongoing industrial action”.

The statement ended as follow: “In the light of the foregoing, the Parties have resolved to reconvene on Tuesday 12h July 2022 at 2pm, to begin negotiations on the demand by Organized Labour”.

Wilberforce Asare

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