The Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) has put on hold a planned nationwide strike which was due to begin today [Tuesday].
This is despite their stern threat a fortnight ago over the non-payment of their salary arrears.
[contextly_sidebar id=”6uKsMVIjkGNZmWJRKAVzFAZryM51Ildy”]According to the Coalition, the government had failed to honour its pledges to pay the monies on two occasions.
Speaking to Citi News after the expiration of its March 30 deadline, the Communications Director of CCT, Adokwei Awulley, said they have received concrete assurances from the government that the arrears will be paid from April 15.
“We have spoken to the Minister of Education. We had the audience with the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and we also made some verification at the Controller and Accountants General and the Minister of Finance… and in all these deliberations they were urging us to calm down. They said payment will start on the 15th of this month where about 14,000 teachers whose documents have already been validated will be paid. It will continue every month until October 2018,” he said.
“We are holding on for now until the meetings then we will see the way forward. Hopefully, through the deliberations that we have, 15th April 2018 deadline will yield something positive,” he added.
Ali Awudu said the Ministry of Finance had signed an agreement with the group earlier this year pledging to complete validation of all documents and paying the arrears accordingly.
He, however, noted that their efforts to reach the Ministry to ascertain the progress so far, have proven futile.
“We cannot any longer hold the wrath of teachers if, at the end of March 2018, the arrears are not paid. The Ministry of Finance should brace itself for an industrial unrest if the March 2018 agreement is not fulfilled. An industrial action is therefore imminent unless otherwise averted by obeying the agreement dated January 16, 2018,” he said at the press conference.
The group had considered a legal action against the government over the matter but backed down after the government indicated that it was taking steps to pay the arrears.
More than 60,000 teachers are expected to be paid the arrears.
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana