Takoradi Oct. 13, GNA - The Teachers' Fund of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) would establish a teachers' bank by next year Mr Isaac Bimpeh, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan GNAT Secretary, has said. Branches of the bank would be opened in all regional capitals for a start before consideration would be given to the districts. He told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at a Thanksgiving Service to climax the 10th anniversary celebration of the Teachers' Fund at the Bethel Methodist Church that the banks would serve teachers as well as the general public.

Mr Bimpeh said the Fund had insured all teachers against injury in the course of their duties and as such, any teacher who gets incapacitated during official duties would continue to receive salary. He said the Fund, which offers personal, car, housing and personal loans, intends to enhance the retirement benefits of teachers. In a sermon Reverend (Mrs) Christina Dzakpasu, a Circuit Minister, spoke against the lukewarm attitude of some public and civil servants in the performance of the duties and said this negative practice must be stamped out to raise productivity to enable the government to meet its development targets. She advised teachers to throw their weight behind the fund to improve their service and living conditions.