PNC condemns Mohammed's encouragement of strike

The Upper West Regional Secretariat of the People's National Convention (PNC) has condemned Atik Mohammed's comments broadcast on OKAY FM on the ongoing strike action by teachers.

STATEMENT

As a young man, desirous of seeing the growth and progress of our dear nation Ghana, one would have expected that Atik exhibits a high sense of patriotism and nationalism on the current impasse between Government and the Teachers front by proposing possible solutions towards solving the crisis. Rather, he chose to as usual play stomach-politics by encouraging the teachers to continue with the strike action until their demands and grievances are met by government.

In fact, it is common knowledge that strikes or industrial actions are not exclusive to any one particular political regime as it cuts across all regimes. As such, for Atik to have sunk so low to view the crisis with partisan lens really begs the point.

The current strike action by the teachers would leave in its trail dire consequences that affect all and sundry irrespective of political orientation. Better still, the students and wards who are about to write their WASSCE and BECE Examinations are just pursuing their educational needs and should not be subjected to this political bias at this stage of their academic ladder. As a political party, committed to offering opportunities for all manner of persons to pursue their goals and realiSe their potentials to the fullest, we deem it necessary to clear the air on the mischievous comments that Atik Mohammed made as a Policy Analyst.

We implore the good people of Ghana to disregard such comments and rather focus our collective energies on helping get the teachers back into the classrooms for smooth and effective academic work. We equally plead with the Teachers’ Front to let some level of consensus prevail in an effort to resolve the deadlock that has hit the educational system.

As such, Government should as a matter of urgency engage GNAT, NAGRAT and TEWU in feasible negotiations to save the poor students in our First-cycle and Second-cycle institutions from any further trauma confronting them as a result of the strike action.