NPP, NDC communicators clash over government’s commitment to teachers’ welfare
NPP communicator blames government over unresolved teacher concerns as NDC counterpart defends its commitment
Communications Team members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Navrongo Central and Chiana-Paga constituencies have expressed divergent views on their respective parties’ commitment to addressing teachers’ welfare concerns while in government.
The disagreement follows a nationwide strike by three teacher unions over what they describe as the government’s failure to address key issues concerning their conditions of service.
The unions cited the failure to automatically place newly promoted teachers on the appropriate salary levels, non-implementation of deprived-area allowances, and delays in the negotiation of the Collective Agreement, among other concerns, as reasons for the industrial action.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Wednesday, September 30, a member of the NPP Communications Team in the Navrongo Central Constituency, Joshua Abagtaaba Adalingya, blamed the NDC government for failing to address concerns raised by teachers despite promises made during the party’s campaign ahead of the 2024 general elections.
“The government of the day is not ready to address the key concerns of teachers, the very issues they promised teachers while in opposition,” he said.
Adalingya further alleged that the government had attempted to reverse existing measures introduced to address teachers’ welfare concerns, including the automatic placement of teachers following promotion.
“It is that attempt that has incurred the wrath of the teachers,” he added.
However, a member of the NDC Communications Team in the Chiana-Paga Constituency, Angelina Asurayaga, disagreed, arguing that the government had demonstrated commitment to addressing the concerns of Ghanaian teachers.
“Government really made promises and it is committed to fulfilling them after the NPP ran the country aground,” she said.
While sympathising with the striking teachers, Asurayaga appealed to them to give the government more time to address their concerns.
She also criticised the opposition NPP for what she described as an attempt to take political advantage of the situation and whip up emotions among teachers over their grievances.
Although the two communicators disagreed over the extent to which the respective parties had demonstrated commitment to improving teachers’ welfare while in government, they agreed that generally, teachers’ conditions of service require attention and should be properly addressed given the critical role teachers play in shaping society.
Mike 105.3FM | Navrongo | David Adapuna
