The Coalition of Concerned Teachers have reacted to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s plea to all Ghanaian workers to bear with his Government in the challenging times of COVID-19.

The President in the 11th quadrennial delegates congress of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) at Abankro in the Ejisu Municipality assured public sector workers that the government will not freeze their salary increase for the next four years.

He, however, urged all Ghanaian workers to bear with the Government in these unusual and rather challenging times.

But Communications Director of the Coalition of Concerned Teacher, Ayikwei Awuley Adokwei reacting to the President’s statement told Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show: “The Government says no freeze for four years but then tells us we should bear with it. That means that there is a problem somewhere.

With all these challenges we have been going through these years, budget and the taxes we are going to pay, transportation fare and even our lives as Ghanaians being affected not only by COVID-19 but by the economy around us which is not so conducive, I don’t think it will be fair for someone to say that for this year we will not increase salaries. Ghanaian workers have been very patient and fair with the NPP Government for the past four years.

The President said we should bear with him. We have been bearing with him for a long time. Every Ghanaian worker knows that we have been bearing with the Government so he must not speak as if we are yet to bear with him. We are even still bearing with him”.

The Communication Director revealed that the Concerned Teachers were still in negotiations with the Government on their salary increment and as such, he would not put so much information out there in the media.

Last Wednesday, the Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Finance, Dr Samuel Nii Noi Ashong appealed to public sector workers to be moderate in their demand for a huge rise in wages in the coming years.

According to him, the Government could not offer huge salary increases to public sector workers for the next few years.