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 15^th 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, 15^th 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

The post Concerned Teachers planned strike suspended again appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In a letter dated October 17, 2017, addressed to the Finance Minister, the teachers said: “We refer to our letter dated 21st June 2017, and subsequent meetings that followed on the subject matter above, and regret that the concerns raised have been left unaddressed to date.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”UX2xevDciOH8RENWJtFMmCzDNondTIMn”]According to them, in the said meeting, the stakeholders agreed in principle to commence the validation exercise of teachers for payment of salary arrears on September 11, 2017, for which notices were sent to members across the country.

They said in addition to the resolution of the meeting, it was agreed that, 65, 013 forms were to be validated in 88 days.

However, they said they are amazed that “as we write and one month down the line, no action has been taken to commence the exercise and we see this as a deliberate ploy and betrayal of good faith in dealing with the matter.”

For them, “the circumstances in which we find ourselves, it would be extremely difficult for the leadership to restrain our members from expressing their anger in forms that may affect the sanctity of the school environment.”

They are therefore calling on the government to address their concerns within the stipulated period, or they will be forced to use other channels to seek redress.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Teacher unions give gov’t 1-week ultimatum over salary arrears appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking at an event to swear in national officers of CCT in Accra today [Sunday], the President of the group, King Ali, expressed worry about some discrepancies in the teacher licensing policy which according to him, needs to be amended with immediate effect.

He however commended government for it free SHS policy, and called on government to come clean on how it intends to fund and sustain the programme.

The National President of CCT King Ali Awudu, also raised concerns about accommodation challenges when teachers are transferred to rural parts of the country, and called on the government through the Ghana Education Service to make decent accommodation available for all teachers posted to such areas.

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By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post New CCT executives want gov’t to re-look at licensing teachers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

President John Mahama has appointed Dr. John Kofi Baffoe, an Economist with the African Development Bank as a Technical Advisor to the Minister for Finance.

He has also appointed Mrs. Mona Quartey, as a deputy Minister at the Ministry of Finance.

But according to the Obuasi West MP, the  country does not need changes at the Finance Ministry, but rather, a strong political will from President Mahama to transform the economy.

“Our economy is going through difficulties right now and the decisions that are needed to turn round things are political decisions; …but what we have been lacking has been the political courage and commitment to cut the waste and the corruption and to provide a fair environment in which our production base can expand,’’ he said.

Mr. Kwarteng noted that the president should rather tackle the most important issues affecting  the nation’s economy. He urged the president to pay attention to his ‘’political decisions’’ instead of changing the ‘’technical people or his lieutenants’’.

By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post New appointments wouldn’t fix economy – MP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.