GNAT Gives Gov’t November 4 Deadline To Sack New Director General Of GES

The National Council of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has given government up to November 4, 2022, to revoke the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

The Council describes the appointment as “unfortunate and untenable”.

It explains that the position of the Director General of GES has been the preserve of educationists and must remain as such.

“Council found the replacement of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa with Dr. Eric Nkansah, the Banker, as both unfortunate and untenable. In the circumstance therefore, Council calls for the revocation and subsequent appointment of an Educationist to occupy that office, by 4th November 2022,” a communiqué issued by GNAT at the end of the 2022 mandatory National Council Meeting said.

Also, GNAT’s Council is still opposed to the one-year contract extension of Mr. Anthony Boateng as the Deputy Director-General of the Service.

“We thereby sound this note of caution, that we would vehemently and vigorously resist any attempt to bring Mr. Anthony Boateng back into the system, and that the consequences of any such attempt may be too dire to handle”.

Teacher unions in Ghana are unhappy with the removal of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa as GES Director General.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) for example called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to rescind his decision.

They argue that, his replacement, Dr. Eric Nkansah is not fit for the role.

But the Ministry of Education has described as unacceptable the posture of the teacher unions.

Reacting to the claims by the teacher groups, the Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, said the stance of the teachers is disrespectful and must not be entertained.

“It is not funny. It is very disrespectful to the number one person of the land [President Akufo-Addo] and we are very surprised,” Mr. Kwarteng said.

“We thought the union leaders should have known better,” the spokesperson added.