Minister lauds NAGRAT decision

Sekondi, Nov 13, GNA - Papa Owusu Ankomah, the Minister of Education, Science and Sports, says while the decision by NAGRAT members to call off their strike was a relief to all they must consider constraints of the economy that would not allow the government to meet all their demands.

"I thank them very much for their decision to go back to the classroom but they must know that economic constraints will not allow the government to give them everything they are asking for". The Minister was addressing an extraordinary meeting of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Polling Station Executives in the Sekondi Constituency at Sekondi on Sunday.

He said the government was dialoguing with NAGRAT leaders on their demand for better conditions of service for their members and that it was wrong to give the government pre-conditions before returning to the classroom.

He said a comprehensive salary structure that would eliminate disparities in salaries of workers was being worked out and advised workers to operate within the ambits of the law and exercise restraint in labour disputes.

Papa Owusu Ankomah dispelled the notion that the government was weak in cases where some individuals or groups were seen to be flouting the laws.

"NPP is a democratic party trying to entrench democracy in the country and will always want the law to take its course".

Papa Ankomah urged party activists to remain loyal, "preach the good news" and work hard to intensify membership drive.

The Minister said the government was on track and had delivered on its promise to revamp the economy and improve all sectors including education and sports to bring improvement in the lives of the people. He said the introduction of the capitation grant and the school feeding programme in some areas was only to supplement the efforts of parents to educate their wards. Mr. Kwadwo Acquah, the Western regional NPP Organiser, called for strong bonds of unity among members and denounced the activities of some members who vilify and castigate others members of the party and said this tended to damage the image of the party. "All the sacrifices we gave and the hardship we went through when we were in opposition seems to have been forgotten and some of us are trying to destroy the party's image by their utterances".

Mr. Acquah warned that those whose activities were found to be inimical to the well being of the party would be forced to resign.