The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) in the Upper East Region, have described the current economic condition and the hikes in the prices of commodities as excruciating and unbearable to its members and have re-echoed the call by its national leadership for government to pay the “Cost of Living Allowance ” to its members by the end of June 2022 or they lay down their tools.
“It is common knowledge that cost of living in Ghana today is rising at the speed of light which has affected and continue to affect the livelihoods of our members who are sacrificing to build this nation.”
At a press conference organised by the group at its regional office in Bolgatanga, the Regional president of NAGRAT, Mr. John Akunzebe said the introduction of new taxes and the continued rice in the prices of fuel ,goods and services have worsened the already bad economic condition of the teacher.
“Prices of fuel, goods and services continue to rise by the day; the introduction of new taxes have worsened the already bad situation, yet the teacher’s salary remains the same. Between January and now, fuel prices have increased by over 50 percent. In the Upper-East Region here, prices of basic foods and other commodities have increased astronomically”
Justifying their call for the “COLA” to be paid, Mr. Akunzebe gave specific evidence of the price change in some food stuff and other commodities in the market.
“The price of a bowl of groundnuts was GH₵18.00 but now GH₵30.00.
1. A bowl of maize was GH₵7.00 but now Gh₵13.00.
2. A bowl of gari was GH₵7.00 but now GH₵16.00
3. A bowl of keta school boys( amani) was GH₵60.00 but now GH₵120.00
4. A bowl of beans was GH₵9.00 but now GH₵25.00
5. A bowl of millet was GH₵8.00 but now GH₵16.00
6. A bowl of rice was GH₵8.00 to GH₵15.00
7. A pack of maggi cube was GH₵11.00 but now GH₵20.00
8. A pack of sanitary Pad was GH₵5.00 but now GH₵10.00
9. A tuber of yam was GH₵7.00 but now GH₵15.00
10. A cake of Geisha was GH₵5.00 but now GH₵8.00
11. A maxi Pepsodent tooth paste has increased from GH₵6.00 to GH₵9.00
12. Lorry fare from Bolgatanga to Accra has increased from GH₵150.00 to GH₵225.00. (cf. VVIP)”
The group said teachers are living on the providence of the Lord to survive and cannot continue to endure the suffering.
They have therefore asked government to heed to their call made at the 2022 May day celebration by the TUC secretary ,Dr Yaw Baah, to government to grant a 20 percent ‘COLA’ to public and private sector workers to mitigate the suffering of the Ghanaian worker.
Mr. John said members of NAGRAT have come to their wits end and will longer render its service to th state if government fails to favourably respond to their request by the end of June 2022.
The Upper East Regional branch of NAGRAT have therefore called on its national leadership to heed to the clarion call by its member to lay down their tools.
” We have come to our wits end; we can no longer bear the pain. We therefore demand of our National Leadership that, if at the end of June, 2022, our call for CoLA is not heeded to, they have no option but to pay heed to the clarion call of our members of Upper-East Region to LAY DOWN OUR TOOLS.“
By: Simon Agana Blessing/mywordfmonline.com