The Member of Parliament for Gushegu Constituency in the Northern Region, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, has called on the John Mahama led administration to settle the salary arrears of teachers and any other public sector workers.
He questioned why government appointees including the Minister of Finance and all other Ministers, Chief Executive Officers and Members of Parliament are promptly paid at the end of the month but the “poor teacher” would have to proceed to demonstrations before they are paid what is rightfully theirs.
Mr. Tampuli in a post on Facebook argued that paying the arrears of teachers and other public sector workers is not an act of charity. However, he said it is the work of their sweat and industry.
“The Minister for Finance and all other minsters, CEOs and Members of Parliament such as my good self do not have any salary arrears. Our salaries are paid promptly, why should the poor teachers have to proceed on demonstrations before they are paid what is rightfully theirs” he stated.
This reaction of the New Patriotic Party Legislator comes on the back of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) declaration of an immediate nationwide strike over unresolved conditions of service, promotions and deprived area allowance as promised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) while in opposition.
One of the disgruntled teachers, Irene Ampofoa Anane, some weeks ago took to social media to lament her predicament after accepting posting from the Greater Accra Region to Kamonayili DA primary school, a remote community in the Gushegu municipality of the Northern Region.
In a video recording, the young mother cried out that she has not been paid for almost a year despite her sacrifices to serve in such deprived community. This immediately called for the intervention of the Gushegu MP who made a cash donation, a laptop and a brand-new motorbike to mitigate the situation.
The Gushegu MP in his post recounted that, “A couple of days ago I posted a video of a teacher crying and pouring out her frustration about her unpaid salary arrears.”
“As fate and providence will have it, so many people reached out to me including some who are so close to me with her contact. I wasted no time in inviting her over to my office for a first-hand appreciation of her concerns” he added.
According to him, there are a lot of such cases in the Gushegu Municipality alone and many more across the country.
He therefore admonished the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to take steps to ensure the prompt payment of the hard-earned income of these gallant teachers, especially those who have sacrificed to serve in rural communities such as teacher Irene Ampofoa Anane who teaches at the Kamonayili DA primary school.
The MP stated he nearly broke down when Madam Irene visited his office with her three-month-old baby accompanied by her mother.
