NAGRAT calls off three-day old strike

Accra, March 3, GNA - The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called off its three-day old strike and asked its members to return to the classroom to perform their normal duties.

Mr. Christian Addai-Poku, President of NAGRAT who announced the decision at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday said it was as a result of extensive briefing it received from Mr. Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), at a meeting on Tuesday March 2, on efforts to settle the grievances of members.

He said the National Executive Committee of NAGRAT was fully convinced that their members would receive their entitlements by the close of the week.

"We now have in our hands a copy of the cheque for GH¢10 million written by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning for the payment of allowances due, not only to NAGRAT members but all teachers and even non-teaching personnel," he said.

Mr. Addai-Poku said: "We also have a copy of the disbursement document that indicates how much has gone into each school or office apart from Upper West Region (UWR)," "these are hard evidence that can let even the Biblical Thomas believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ".

He said the UWR branch of NAGRAT was yet to submit to the GES the amount of money it owed its members adding that as soon as this was done, the money would be disbursed.

Government on Friday, February 26, released GH¢10 million to the GES for the payment of all outstanding arrears due members of the service nationwide but this did not convince NAGRAT and it went ahead and embarked on a strike action from Monday, March 1, saying until its members confirmed receipt of their arrears, it would not call off the industrial action.

Mr. Addai-Poku said apart from the arrears, other grievances, which included the cancellation of compulsory invigilation of examinations and conducting promotion interviews for its members, have also been addressed= .. He called on the GES and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to expedite action on the speedy implementation of the upward adjustment of the allowances concluded between the GES and the Joint Ghana National Association of Teachers and NAGRAT Negotiating Committee.