CETAG, government agree on roadmap to address allowances, market premium issues

File Photo

The College of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) and government have agreed on a roadmap to resolve the grievances of the teacher association.

Last year, members of CETAG embarked on a one-month strike that led to the closure of Colleges of Education, due to the non-payment of their Interim Market Premium and Book and Research allowance.

Speaking to Citi News on the latest roadmap, the National Secretary for CETAG, Nathan Ohene-Gyan said their members will not countenance any disappointment on the part of government.

He said, per the roadmap, the government has agreed to pay the book and research allowance in September 2019 while an agreed market premium with arrears will be paid between January and April 2020.

“We initially tabled some form of arrangement but government came in and said they were a bit challenged to go by what we were suggesting. We agreed on a few parameters although we are not completely happy about it, but, it is something we can hold on for the meantime as we move on.”

“On paper, we have an agreement over the book and research allowance we are paid at the end of every month so we are expecting to be sorted on that score. Measuring the temperament of our members on the ground, they are not even happy about this arrangement,” he added.

Early this year, CETAG met with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and other relevant stakeholders for deliberations on outstanding issues.

It followed letters from the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, informing them that the National Council for Tertiary Education [NCTE], and the Fair Wages Salary Commission was to decide their concerns.

This was also after a directive by the National Labour Commission to resolve pending issues within a fourteen-day period which elapsed on 2nd January 2019.

Background
The Association in December 2018, accused government of breaching the terms of agreement it had with them on the payment of interim premium and book and research allowances.

The NCTE argued that CETAG did not have the right to declare a strike when negotiations were ongoing.

CETAG was also accused of being unreasonable and failing to show up for negotiations on the matter.

CETAG subsequently threatened to go to court to push for the closure of the colleges for the rest of the semester in line with the law governing the colleges, which states that colleges must be closed down and the semester annulled if academic work halts for more than three weeks.

Source: citinewsroom.com

Comments

Thomas Barrack: Top Trump aide accused of working as foreign agent

Billionaire and long-time Donald Trump ally Thomas J Barrack have been arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly acting as an agent of a foreign government. The 74-year-old investment firm founder served as a key adviser to the former US president's 2016 campaign and was considered a top fundraiser. Mr. Barrack is accused of illegally lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates during and after the campaign. A spokesman for Mr. Barrack said he planned to plead not guilty. He is the latest ex-Trump official to face federal charges. Mr. Barrack is charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and making multiple false statements to the FBI during a 2019 interview. Also charged are Matthew Grimes, 27 - who works for Mr. Barrack - and UAE citizen Rashid Sultan Rashid Al Malik Alshahhi, 43, according to the seven-page indictment . Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark Lesko said the conduct alleged in the indictment was "nothing short of a betrayal" of US officials inclu...

Ejura killings: We’ll be open-minded in our report and recommendations – Justice Koomson

After 12 days of public sitting, the three-member committee that investigated the Ejura disturbances has wrapped up its work. The committee set up by the president follows the killing of two people and the injuring of four others by soldiers during a protest against the killing of a social activist, Ibrahim Muhammed. The deceased, also known as Macho Kaaka, died on Monday, June 28, 2021, after he was attacked by a mob while returning home on his motorbike at Ejura. It is unclear for now the motive for his murder but some have linked it to his social activism role. Chairman of the committee, Justice George Kingsley Koomson told the media the committee was thorough in its work. “In all 22 witnesses appeared before us but three of them because of security reasons provided evidence in camera, also 117 videos, 555 pictures, and three documents were received by the committee as evidence and now we will sit, write our report together with recommendations and present it to the interior m...

Invest your profits back into farming - COCOBOD boss to Cocoa Farmers

Joseph Boahen Aidoo is Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has charged cocoa farmers to be business minded in operating their farms and to partake fully in the various programmes introduced by COCOBOD to ensure good farm yields and to increase profits. "Good farming practices, like pruning, the timely application of fertilizers and proper pests control are essential at all times," he said. Joseph Boahen Aidoo stated this while interacting with farmers in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions, on the first day of his week-long tour of cocoa farms across the county. He was accompanied by the Deputy Chief Executive of Operations at COCOBOD, Dr Emmanuel Opoku, as well, as Directors and Research Scientists from COCOBOD. The tour is aimed at assessing the level of farmer participation in the various farm productivity improvement programmes implemented by COCOBOD; it is also...

Odi News Network

Search This Blog