It also wants the government to conclude its negotiations with them and implement their agreed market premiums by the end of April 2018 as promised.

[contextly_sidebar id=”aUFZ32jpTtEoIB0q8qEdE3CugIuRiRqg”]The Association said it is unhappy with government’s slow response to their requests despite several promptings.

The teachers in November 2017, called off a three-week-old strike they declared over the failure of government to pay salary arrears owed them since October 2016. They however called it off after an assurance by the government to pay the monies in April 2018.

In a Citi News interview, the National Secretary of CETAG, Prince Obeng-Himah, said the last governing councils seized to function when the Mahama administration handed over power to the Akufo-Addo government.

“[It’s been almost a year without governing councils, and this is having adverse effects on the running of the colleges,” he said. 

“Administratively, principals are handicapped because per the Act, they are restricted as to the extent to which they can go. And the staff is also taking undue advantage [of the situation], to take ad-hoc and arbitrary and discretionary decisions that are not in the interest of the colleges,” he said. 

He further added that, the situation is “affecting the progress of the teachers… We gain promotion by publishing. At our level, it is publish or perish.”

The governing council is the highest decision-making body at the colleges which is to approve articles and other write-ups of tutors within the colleges, before publication. Such publications qualify them for promotions.

With the absence of governing councils, there is no avenue for the teachers to tender-in their write-ups, hence their promotions have stalled.

Mr. Obeng-Himah further lamented the delay in completing negotiations with the government over their market premiums. 

“In Ghana, all teachers who teach in tertiary education institutions take home a certain percentage of their basic salary as their market premium in addition to their basic salary. We [college teachers] have been denied all this while….the college teacher will no longer accept this discrimination,” he warned.

He said CETAG had given the government an April 30 ultimatum when it is expected to “have concluded negotiations with the leadership of the Association on what percentage of market premium is deserving of CETAG members and implement same.”

He threatened that if the government fails to meet their demands by the stipulated deadlines, the Association will resort to alternative measures to ensure their demands are met, including declaring a strike.

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By: Marie-Franz Fordjoe/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post CETAG threatens strike over non-existent councils, market premium appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Over the past 11 months, the various teacher unions have been negotiating with the government on the need to settle all its indebtedness to teachers, but the government has failed to honour its promise, after including it in the 2017 budget.

[contextly_sidebar id=”LWDTpkH24qW1Ixhw2CBLUj0ncHSm0hTQ”]According to NAGRAT, the unpaid allowances have accrued from 2013 to date.

Addressing the media at a press briefing today [Friday],  incoming President of  NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, called on government to address their concerns without further delays.

“We are owed vehicle maintenance allowance, we are also owed transfer grants, and then we are also owed transport and travel allowances. All these amounts to over 50 million cedis, and there is also salary arrears of those who have been recruited into the Ghana Education Service, and they have taught for months and have not been paid for those months that they have taught. They also owe us allowances and arrears that ought to be paid, and all these we are not getting any clear indication as to government’s determination to pay these monies, so once we have a situation like this, we are affected by government’s ineptitude to address the issues.”

NAGRAT 2016 threat

In 2016, the Association threatened a similar action over the non-payment of salary arrears to 2013 and 2014 batches of newly recruited teachers, teachers on promotion, and others who were reinstated or re-engaged, and also outstanding transfer grants and allowances to deserving teachers.

CETAG strike

NAGRAT’s threat follows a three month strike by the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), over the failure of government to pay salary arrears owed them since October 2016.

The strike was later called off following assurances from the government that the arrears would be paid to them by April 2018.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The General Secretary of CETAG, Prince Obeng-Himah, confirmed to Citi News that the teachers would return to the classrooms following assurances from the government that the arrears would be paid to them by April 2018.

[contextly_sidebar id=”tKBqAmtPKocKL3faPqZfeCGoGPZh03RP”]He said despite the fact that they had expected to be paid earlier than agreed date, the teachers were “satisfied” with the agreement, and would “definitely” return to work on Thursday.

The decision to call off the strike was made after the Association held a crunch meeting earlier today [Wednesday], to deliberate on their next line of action.

“After almost seven hours of closed-door discussions, we came to some agreements which we committed to paper yesterday [Tuesday]. Three national officers of CETAG signed and three Cabinet Ministers – the Employment and Labour Relations Minister, the Education Minister and a deputy Finance Minister – also signed for the government. The details of the agreement was that the salaries in question would be paid by government, specifically, in the first quarter [of 2018],” he said.

Gov’t, CETAG negotiations on salary arrears initially broke down

The teachers had declared the strike a few weeks ago, but had indicated that they were willing to call it off following government’s intervention, and the commencement of discussions on the matter.

All 38 Colleges of Education across the country which were closed because of the strike, are expected to reopen tomorrow [Thursday], following the turn of events.

Trainee teachers want semester extended

The Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), on Tuesday petitioned the Education Ministry for an extension of the semester’s academic calendar to enable them make up for the time lost following the ongoing strike by their teachers.

According to them, an extended schedule would enable them stand a better chance of passing their upcoming examinations

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By: Ann-Shirley Ziwu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post CETAG calls off 3-week old strike over salary arrears appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking to Citi News, the National President of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana, Jonathan Apam, explained that an extension of the academic calendar had become necessary in order for the students to stand a better chance of passing their upcoming exams.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8wk9QSqP5ViGsch8L13lMGJ3Pf9jmT33″]“They should postpone the academic calendar from where it has been scheduled for because exams are upcoming. Institute of Education should look into the academic calendar. No government institution or stakeholder will say, when students pass out of the result of the strike, they will only say they didn’t learn and that’s how come they failed or were sacked out of the colleges “he said.

The trainees had earlier warned that if government fails to ensure the return of their tutors to the classrooms soon, they would be forced to take other steps to bring pressure to bear on the administration.

Jonathan Apam, at the time, described the consequences of the strike as dire, hence the need for government’s immediate intervention.

“We are trying to propagate the effects of it [strike] because it appears government is not aware of how the strike is affecting students. For about two, three weeks now, our teachers have not been teaching. This is the time that second years are doing all methods of teaching. This is the time that we have newly admitted students. This is the time that trainee teachers in the basic schools doing their teaching practice are supposed to be supervised. If we fail… we will be sacked. Cape Coast or Institute of Education will not care whether there was a strike or not,” he said.

Colleges remain closed

The 38 Colleges across the country remain closed after djalogue between the government and striking members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), yielded no result.

CETAG have been on strike since November 2, 2017, demanding the immediate payment of their nine-month salary arrears, allowances and market premiums.

The tutors are also seeking improved conditions of service.

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By: Farida Yusif & Akosua Ofeiwaa Opoku/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Trainee teachers want semester extended after lecturers’ strike appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The students warned that if government fails to act in their interest, they will be forced to take other steps to bring pressure to bear on government.

Speaking to Citi News, the National President of TTAG, Jonathan Apam, described the consequences of the strike as dire, hence the need for government’s immediate intervention.

[contextly_sidebar id=”rhj0dMQFCT0urL54C0kEIYRV42U9j8ZE”]“We are trying to propagate the effects of it [strike] because it appears government is not aware of how the strike is affecting students. For about two, three weeks now, our teachers have not been teaching. This is the time that second years are doing all methods of teaching. This is the time that we have newly admitted students. This is the time that trainee teachers in the basic schools doing their teaching practice are supposed to be supervised. If we fail… we will be sacked. Cape Coast or Institute of Education will not care whether there was a strike or not.”

In the meantime, the leadership of TTAG, has directed students to wear red arm bands between Thursday and Friday as a sign of protest.

“In view of this, teacher trainees are directed to put on RED ARM BANDS on Thursday and Friday, 16th and 17th November, 2017 respectively in their various campuses. All student teachers (Mentees) are also directed to join their members in their campuses for the exercise. We would also like to inform the Government of Ghana led by H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo that, after this exercise, if nothing positive is done to direct our lecturers back into the classrooms, then we will advise ourselves accordingly. The various S.R.C leaderships in all the 43 public colleges of education are to ensure that, this is done and done well.”

CETAG declared a nationwide strike in protest of unpaid salaries after a caution to government. The teachers had threatened to lay down their tools if the government failed to pay salary arrears owed its members since October 2016.

CETAG had lamented that, despite a directive by the National Labour Commission (NLC), asking the Ministry of Finance to pay the arrears within two weeks, they are yet to be paid.

According to them, per the migration of the tertiary statuses of the Colleges of Education following the passage of the Colleges of Education Act 847 in 2012, the teachers were expected to be paid the salary difference between their previous salary levels and the new salaries from January to September 2016.

CETAG has said that, until the arrears are paid, they are withdrawing their services from the 38 colleges across the country.

NLC begs Colleges of Education tutors to call off strike

A few days after the strike, the National Labour Commission (NLC), asked striking members of CETAG to reconsider their decision, and return to the lecture halls, but they refused.

A meeting between CETAG and the government to reach an agreement over the matter broke down recently.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Bring back our teachers or face our wrath – Trainees warn gov’t appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

CETAG began a nationwide strike on Thursday over the non-payment of year-long salary arrears owed them.

[contextly_sidebar id=”pZz9XOetLLrx0LHAeyubTxYEPbI1yLXC”]In an interview with Citi News however, the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, Ofosu Asamoah, asked the lecturers to return to work whilst the commission strives to bring finality to their concerns.

“We plead with members of CETAG to reconsider their decision because we are working on it…,” Mr. Asamoah pleaded.

The General Secretary of CETAG, Prince Obeng-Himah, however told Citi News they won’t return to the lecture halls until their concerns are addressed.

“As far as the laws of the land are concerned, we are at the end of it and we believe that a strike is the last resort and that is what we will do. We are saying that we will stay home till the money is paid to our members.”

CETAG declared a nationwide strike in protest of unpaid salaries after a caution to government.

The teachers had threatened to down their tools if the government failed to pay salary arrears owed its members since October 2016.

CETAG had lamented that, despite a directive by the National Labour Commission (NLC), asking the Ministry of Finance to pay the arrears within two weeks, they are yet to be paid.

According to them, per the migration of the tertiary statuses of the Colleges of Education following the passage of the Colleges of Education Act 847 in 2012, the teachers were expected to be paid the salary difference between their previous salary levels and the new salaries from January to September 2016.

CETAG has said that, until the arrears are paid, they are withdrawing their services from the 38 colleges across the country.

A statement signed by the National Secretary of the Association, Prince Obeng-Himah, and cited by citifmonline.com, said: “On the basis of this development, leadership has decided that members should withdraw our services in all the thirty-eight public colleges of education till such a time that the arrears are fully paid to members, having duly consulted all Local and Zonal branches of the Association on the matter”

The statement directed all members to wear red bands as a mark of the protest.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NLC begs Colleges of Education tutors to call off strike appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

CETAG lamented that despite a directive by the National Labour Commission (NLC), asking the Ministry of Finance to pay the arrears within two weeks, it is yet to be paid.

Speaking in a Citi News interview, the National Secretary of CETAG, Prince Obeng-Himah, said the Ministries of Finance and Education have not been fair to them.

[contextly_sidebar id=”38NhzguTjnJvuscrAgcYRDg7nHoUYYzI”]“We forwarded our particulars after the new minister came into office through the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Education, and the responses we were getting weren’t satisfactory. So we wanting to be law abiding appealed to the National Labour Commission to intervene. After months of appearance and hearing, the NLC came out with a ruling on 4^th of October.”

“The ruling was very clear and unequivocal, and stated that the people should liaise with one another – the Ministries of Finance and Education – and effect payments of the arrears to the teachers within two weeks. Up to this time, they are yet to comply. And we think that is unfair,” he said.

Obeng-Himah lamented that, supposing the NLC’s ruling had gone against CETAG, members of the group couldn’t have defied it, hence government must give reasons why it has failed to adhere to the directive.

“Supposing that the ruling had gone against us as a union that we should for instance go back to the classroom to work, we couldn’t have stayed home from 4^th to this time without complying. We are saying that the ruling said all those processes ought to have gone on within two weeks leading to the payments of the salary arrears. So we did not find the explanation they gave us as satisfactory,” CETAG’s National Secretary added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Marie-Franz Fordjoe/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Education college teachers to strike over salary arrears appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is because the Colleges of Education Teachers Association (CETAG), has suspended its nationwide strike and have asked members to return to the lecture halls.

The announcement comes after the government confirmed their migration from the payroll of the Ghana Education Service (GES), to the payroll of the Colleges of Education.

Per this approval, salaries, retention premiums, allowances and conversion differences will be paid to staff in this sector.

President of CETAG, Prince Obeng-Himah, also told Citi News their decision is to give government grace period to fully migrate all their members.

“In a meeting chaired by Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, was able to give us a copy of authorization that the Finance Ministry had issued to the Controller and Accountant General authorizing them to migrate us in October.”

Though Obeng-Himah observed that the October date “isn’t friendly in our system” they have decided to call off the strike following the October assurance and “looking at the fact that our students are on campus and a lot of people have pleaded with CETAG to rescind its decision.”

“We have discussed modalities for the payment of arrears that may accrue as a result of that, we have signed MoU where in that meeting we all came to those agreements. So we are going to study the thing and from this time up to October, we have no problem; but if it doesn’t work out, 1^st November, the Council will decide the next line of action that we are going to take,” he added.

Background

CETAG declared an indefinite strike last week to protest government’s non-migration of its members onto their desired salary structure.

The association noted that, the slow pace of the process might among others affect their salaries and fringe benefits.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Colleges of Education tutors suspend strike        appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The 2013 Wimbledon finalist hit the serve in the 11th game of the first set against Ana Ivanovic, who would go on to win the match 7-6 (7-2) 6-1.

Venus Williams had set the previous record of 129mph at the 2007 US Open.

“Well at least I broke the world record for fastest serve,” Lisicki said on Twitter  after Tuesday’s match.

In Washington, British number one Heather Watson suffered a first-round exit at the Citi Open.

The 22-year-old from Guernsey lost 6-3 1-6 7-6 (7-3) to Belgian Kirsten Flipkens, ranked nine places higher at 47 in the world.

Watson, who has risen from 113 in the world at the start of the year, won the doubles title in Baku last week but since Wimbledon has lost in the first round of singles in both Baku and Washington.

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Source: BBC Sport

The post Sabine Lisicki hits fastest serve in women’s tennis appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.