General News of Tuesday, 8 March 2011

Source: GNA

Concerned teachers demonstrate against SSSS in Takoradi

Fijai (W/R), March 8, GNA - A group calling itself Coalition of Concerned Teachers on Tuesday demonstrated through the principal streets of Takoradi against the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS). The teachers went to the Western Regional Office of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) where Mr. Charles Baidoo, their spokesman, presented a petition to Mr. Isaac Bimpeh, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Secretary of GNAT.

The group demanded that the Regional Office be closed and the keys handed over to the Regional Commander of Police pending appointment of new regional GNAT officers. Mr. Bimpeh explained that the executives of GNAT were attending an emergency meeting at Cape Coast and he was not in the position to meet the demand of the demonstrating teachers. The Police dispersed the crowd before any damage could be caused to th= e the GNAT because the association was not championing the cause of teachers. It said 93We are going to sit till the technical committee resolves t= he anomalies of the migration of teachers on to the new policy". The petition also called for the restoration of professional allowance as category two allowance for teachers and for proper job revaluation. Some of the placards carried by the members read: 93We are not fools= ", "Is that the Single Spine you promised", 93We are your spine, Give us our backbone" and 93MPs were taught by teachers".