PRESS RELEASE
TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES
Ahead of our demonstration in the central Region which which comes off on the 26th of April, 2016 and happens to be the third demonstration in the famous Operation 10 demonstrations in 10 weeks”, we wish to bring to light certain pertinent issues sorrounding the delays in payment of our salary arrears.
Victims of Three (3) Months Salary Pay Policy (V3MSPP) and all potential victims wishes to draw the attention of all teachers, parents of our students, Christian Council of Ghana, Catholic Bishops Conference, pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Peace Council, National House of Chiefs, Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), our employers (GES) including our pay masters: Ministry of Finance(MoF), Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD), The Government of Ghana (GoG), The public, The media and His Excellency the President of the republic that WE ARE NOT SLAVES!!! WORKERS DESERVE THEIR WAGES AND ON TIME!!
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We are law abiding citizens, Ghanaians, regular Tax payers, workers and teachers of course!
How we wish we could start receiving our wages latest, two months after our appointment. But in our country, it is not possible for a teacher; owing to bureaucracies in government agencies and paper works, which is not our fault.
In August 2013, The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Seth Terkper disclosed that; 70% of govt’s revenue was spent on wage bill in six months and compensation payments covered salaries, allowances, and other benefits. That was when he took his turn presenting the fiscal imbalances in the economy to labour unions and social groups at a stakeholders forum. He later suggested the wage bill be reduced to 35 percent of the tax revenue.
This brought about the introduction of the three (3) months salary pay policy. But our questions are;
Does Ghana depend only on Tax revenues?
What about our foreign exchanges?
Don’t we have Gold, Bauxite, Manganese, Timber, Cotton, Cocoa, Coffee, Oil etc.?
Are utilities not increased every now and then? Even more than 100%?
Why not suggest ways of increasing our gross domestic product (GDP) rather than reducing the wage bill as our population is always on the rise and blocking deserving salaries of workers, and telling workers to apply, reapply and re-reapply for the salaries they deserve in pretext of hunting for fake certificates, and ghosts? How many names has been published or prosecuted for working with fake certificates?
CONVENOR
Since January 2014 till date, 2016 April we are still talking about excess of 60,000 forms and only 4000 Out of the 60,000 has been confirmed validated. How?
And they have found fault on 4000 forms, but those victims were paid three (3) month salary arrears, how?
Allegorically, by the time this validation will be over, validation team might find fault with over 30,000 forms. These will be victims who received three (3) month salary arrears and are still on payroll.
The most interesting thing is that; the policy is still active as the off-site validation team is sweating on excess of 60,000 forms and still counting.
In Ghana Education Service, it takes a teacher to pass through approximately (15) fifteen processes and steps and wait approximately 12 months before receiving salary. Now, that procedure can only qualify you for (3) three months salary arrears. Then reapplying for the rest will take more than two and a half years. What is this? TO HELL WITH THIS POLICY!!!
The less talked about the teacher unions the better. They are not fighting for us; they are fighting for themselves. We the teachers are not interested in their yearly diaries, table clocks, radios or shirts. We need fair treatment and justice.
We equally fail to recognize their selfish efforts as is a zero work done. They don’t know our grievances, they don’t have meeting with us, how can they know our grievances, they do what they like, as and when they want and are only interested in our dues. Is joining an association compulsory? This is unlawful.
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We want to let our employers know that we are demoralised on the job and our motivation level is down to zero. This policy has totally demoralised our spirits and enthusiasm towards teaching and God is our witness.
This we believed will surely intentionally or unintentionally affect the pupils in our various classrooms.
His Excellency Mr. President, take note; we understood you are a Christian and in a God fearing country, these are some biblical instructions that could be mutually beneficial.
The bible frown on this policy as much as it is very disgusting to us the victims.
1. 1 Timothy 5:18 “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” and “the worker deserves his wages”
As if this is not enough.
2. Malachi 3:5
“so I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, those who defraud laborers of their wages.
We want to trust that we will be paid when validation is completed, God is not mocked.
3. The bible said;
Deuteronomy 24:15
“pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it, otherwise they may cry to the LORD against you and you will be guilty of sin”
Ghanaians will bear with us that this policy is ungodly, unethical and unlawful irrespective of the point of view our politicians and our high officials interpret it from.
4. James 5:4
The bible says “look the wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out (demonstrating) against you. The cries of the harvesters (Teachers) have reached the ears of the LORD”
5. Leviticus 19:13 said: “Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight” Meaning, not even in the name of validation.
Now you see Mr. president, MoF, CAGD, GES, and any one responsible or master minding this;
Don’t you fear God? Are you stronger than God?
This is not lawful neither is it ethical.
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HOW MUCH WAS A SACHET OF WATER IN JANUARY 2014? HOW MUCH IS IT NOW?
The money owed us is depreciating. But the loans we lived on whiles working and waiting for our salaries is still appreciating. Some victims took student loans at the Trust Fund, they are planning to use salary arrears to pay.
We the victims can go to court and demand judgment debt with interest; and this could cost our country Ghana.
Is it too much to ask for our own money to be paid and immediately (on time)?
We will not welcome any new stories again, we are tired.
(2 1/2) Two and half years is enough we can’t wait any longer.
In the name of God, STOP THIS POLICY AND PAY ALL ARREARS including reducing the long process and paper works employees have to go through before being paid as those processes are currently not counting and will not qualify a person for full salary arrears but only 3 months.
We are teachers, this policy does not make sense to us let alone explain to anyone of our students.
For example a student scored 100% in third term examination and the teacher gave him only 30% and the explanation of the teacher is that: after perusing the paper he will give him the rest of the marks, and more than two years the teacher could not finish auditing the paper. Will the student be motivated to learn again? And what kind of teacher is he?
WE WILL DEMONSTRATE UNTILL THE POLICY IS STOPPED AND ALL ARREARS PAID TO THE LAST GHANA CEDI.
CONVENORS
Owusu Baffoe Daniel
National Secretary
0245144243
Efua mills 0509073740
Samuel Nkrumah 0241807652
Albert Dadson 0509639374
Ansah Todzro +233243083867