The Ghana Public Educators’ Affiliation (GNAT) says it will oppose any attempt by the government to touch teachers ‘ funds .
“We wish to make it clear to the government of Ghana, that it ought to address the financial difficulties confronting the country not to the detriment of the Ghanaian laborers and everybody,” it said.
An official statement issued in Accra and endorsed by Mr Tanko Musah, the General Secretary, expressed judiciousness in government expenditure, frugality, decrease in size of government, among others, could all go to address the country’s economic hardships.
It said its attention was drawn to the declaration by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Monday, December 5, welcoming qualified investors to trade around GHC 137.3 billion of the domestic notes and bonds of the Republic. ESL PLC and Daakye Plc, for a package of new Bonds to be given by the Republic, (with) agreements of the invitation.
The statement noted : “GNAT is an interested shareholder with regards to the domestic bond Market, running the teachers fund with its subsidiaries, the tier- 3 pension scheme, and the Ghana Education Service Occupational Pension Scheme Plan (GESOPS) .
“We wish to state completely, that these are bold steps and initiatives taken by the association to better the lives of its members (teachers ) in active service , and retirement, taking cognisance of their pay rates, which are only allowances and morsels from the master’s table, and don’t take them home, and the condition of despairing and wretched destitution where they reside, given the sorry pension paid them by SSNIT,” it added.
The statement noted GNAT had started the previously mentioned financial schemes to make its members carry on with meaningful lives.
“It will accordingly be self-destructive for any administration to touch our funds and unruffled our teachers financially, both in active service and retirement.
“As per this, we wish to state unequivocally that we are not inspired by any exchange of domestic notes and bonds of the Republic be it ESLA Plc, or Daakye Trust Plc, and our position is non-debatable,” it added.
It, in this manner, informed its members that the leadership regarding GNAT has not been welcome to any discussion on domestic bond Exchange and their position stayed unaltered, and further guaranteed them that their commitments and reserve funds were intact.
leadership of the Ghana National Teachers ‘ Association, GNAT, at last sound this note of caution , that contribution and savings of teachers ought not be contacted, that inability to regard to this caution will toss the country into industrial disturbances,” it cautioned.