New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communication Team Member Grace Akosua Amoabeng has urged teachers to demand the allowances she says the government promised them, insisting that they deserve to be paid.
Speaking to Isaac Addae on The Verdict on Starr FM, Grace Amoabeng questioned why the government would make promises to teachers and subsequently fail to honour them.
“I think they should demand for the allowances. Of course they deserve. You promised them these allowances, so why are you taking them back? Why are you not giving them the allowances?” she asked.
She argued that the concerns of teachers should be taken seriously, particularly because of the significant amount of time they spend educating and caring for children.
“They’re spending so much time in the schools raising our children. So if they deserve it, they should get it. It’s not they deserve it, they deserve it, so they should be paid,” she stated.
Grace Amoabeng also cited what she described as the government’s failure to fulfill some campaign promises to teachers, pointing specifically to the pledge to cancel the teachers’ licensure examination.
“When we heard President John Dramani Mahama say boldly on his campaign platform that they were even going to cancel teachers’ licensure exams. When they came, what did they do? They’ve even increased their license fees. They’ve increased their fees,” she said.
According to her, the issue of teachers’ allowances forms part of what she considers a broader failure by the government to fulfil promises made to various groups during the election campaign.
She referenced promises involving nurses, doctors, young people and cocoa farmers, as well as the implementation of the government’s 24-hour economy policy.
Grace Amoabeng questioned the number of jobs created through the 24-hour economy, particularly for young Ghanaians.
“How many jobs have they provided for Ghanaians, for the young Ghanaians with the 24-hour economy? How many? she questioned.
She maintained that teachers should therefore continue to demand the allowances they were promised and called on the government to ensure that the payments are made.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Pamela Quayson
