President appeals to teachers to return to classroom

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on striking teacher unions in the country to, as a matter of necessity, call off their strike as government continues negotiations with them.

The president made the appeal during the Eid-ul-Adha celebration at the Independence Square over the weekend. The teachers are demanding 20 per cent cost-of-living allowance (COLA).

But the President was hopeful that ongoing negotiations will yield positive results between government and the teacher unions.

President Akufo-Addo observed that all Ghanaians are “going to have to make some sacrifices to afford the nation space to navigate the trouble waters of the current economic difficulties”.

“In the case of government, discretional expenditures of ministries, departments and agencies have been cut by 30%. The salaries of all political appointees including myself, have been reduced by 30%. Fuel coupon allocations have been slashed by 50% and other expenditures suspended,” he said.

COLA demand

“I am happy that on July 8, 2022, the teachers were joined by other members of organised labour under the umbrella of the Trade Unions Congress (TUC), to sit down with government, led by the Ministers for Employment and Labour Relations and Education to begin negotiations on this matter” the President said.

“I want to add my voice to the appeal by the outstanding Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, the honourable Ignatius Baffour Awuah, for the teachers to return to the classrooms pending the outcome of these negotiations so that that education of our children, some of whom are preparing to sit their final exams, is not affected,” the President appealed.