The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has reiterated its opposition to being included in the ongoing Debt Exchange Programme.
The President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu stated that the Association’s position has not changed since the introduction of the programme by the government.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM on Wednesday, February 1, Mr Carbonu said any attempt to include them will be resisted fiercely.
He thus asked the government to find other alternatives in solving the current economic crisis the country is faced with.
“That is why we have issued a press release today to reiterate our position that our position is not shifted from the pre-December position and that you cannot pass through the back door and introduce things that will eventually mean people’s pension funds have been compromised.
“Let me ask the question that in all the economic strategies to solve our problems, do we think as a country that the Debt Exchange Programme is the only way? This question I expect people to ask government and the government to answer to all of us,” he said.
Already, Organised Labour on Wednesday reiterated it will stick with a promise by the government to exempt all pension funds from its Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDE).
It will thus not participate, nor permit the inclusion of any of its Pension Schemes in any Domestic Exchange Programme, according to a resolution passed by Organised Labour and contained in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon.
It therefore served notice that it will fiercely resist any attempt to go contrary to that position.
They say Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, signed the said agreement on behalf of the Government while Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah, Secretary General of TUC, signed on behalf of Organised Labour, paragraph 1 of which stated as follows:
“Organised Labour hereby reiterates that, this position is FINAL as far as involvement of Pension Funds in the DDEP is concerned. By this, Organised Labour and ALL our Pension Schemes are not participating in any DDE Programme as per the aforementioned exemption from Government.
“Any contrary communication or position is alien to us and should be dismissed by all well- meaning Ghanaians. Any attempt to go contrary to this agreement will be fiercely resisted by Organised Labour.
Organised Labour therefore assured “all workers of Ghana” it will continue to safeguard their interest at all times.
Source: Ernest Arhinful
