CETAG is ready to call off its strike but awaits Council’s decision
Assurances have been made by the government to settle the arrears it owes members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) by the end of January 2022.
A meeting between both parties to settle the issues brought this outcome after CETAG embarked on a strike action some days ago.
CETAG President, Prince Obeng-Heman after a crunch meeting with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission over the conditions of service of members of the association revealed that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department has expressed optimism that it can process their payments for payment this month.
He reiterated that they are still embarking on industrial action until a decision is taken by CETAG’s council.
“Government came out with a promise that even though they couldn’t pay in December, they were ready [to make payments]. Controller and Accountant General’s Department said they were in the capacity to make the necessary input to get [us] validated for the January salary. The determination to either go on with the strike or suspend depends on what council will make of the meeting with the government when we brief them within 48 hours,” he said.
CETAG members commenced their strike in all 46 public Colleges of Education last Thursday over complaints that the government had not honoured its promise to implement the 2017-2020 conditions of service, as agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding signed between CETAG and Government.
Some of their demands include wanting the government to pay their interim premiums and book and research allowances.
The last time CETAG embarked on a strike was in December 2018.
This was after it accused the government of failing to honour the terms of agreement it had with them on the payment of interim premiums and book and research allowances.
Their industrial action has now forced the Education Ministry to order the closure of all the 46 Colleges of Education in the country.
CETAG subsequently called off the strike after its leadership agreed to resume negotiations with the National Labour Commission and Labour Ministry.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
