CETAG Strikes Indefinitely Over Unpaid Market Premium, Book and Research Allowances

The College of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has withdrawn its services to all 46 public colleges of education across the country.

This comes after all attempts to reach an agreement with government on a roadmap to the payment of their market premium and book and research allowance have proven futile.

The primary issue in contention, according to CETAG is a perceived discrimination in the payment of market premium as percentage of salary, compared to what is given other teachers in other public tertiary institutions.

Speaking on Accra based TV3, President of the Association, Mr Prince Obeng said as long as government continues to display unconcern towards their plight, CETAG they will not return to class.

According to him, teachers of the college of education, go home with a meagre GHȻ127 as market premium while teachers in other institution who they hold similar qualifications and do same work with, are paid between GHȻ1600 and GHȻ1800.

“Government started engaging us on the 29th of July, this year and in all the discussions, we believe the decisions taken by government are not helping our course.

“You cannot tell us our claims are legitimate for which premise you have invited us for the negotiation but when we come around the table, you tell us that because government has no money to accommodate our term in the schemes of things, we should go home with GHȻ127 as market premium,” Mr Obeng noted.

Quoting Article 24(1) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, he said employers have the responsibility to ensure that their employees work under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions and shall receive equal pay for equal work without distinction of any kind.

Mr Obeng said: “We go to the same markets, our children go to the same schools, we marry from the same homes, we have the same family and socio economic responsibilities to bear. It’s unfair to discriminate against us.”

He continued: “Going forward, building Ghana, everybody that contributes should adequately be remunerated from top to down.”

It is therefore projected that students of the College of Education across the country may be forced to go home if government fails to address the grievances of their teachers.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey