The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Mr. Angel Carbonu has disclosed that the affordable housing project promised to teachers has not been built.
He stated that though several promises of affordable housing are made to teachers by political parties prior to elections, governments have challenges making good on these promise to teachers when they are in power.
“Housing is an issue not only for teachers but all public sector workers. The issue is that governments promise affordable housing and even when these houses are built, the price of the houses go beyond the pockets of the Ghanaian public servants of which teachers belong”.
Mr. Angel Carbonu
Furthermore, Mr. Angel Carbonu asserted that accommodation has been a major problem in Ghana’s education sector. He stated that teachers shy away from posting to some parts of the country due to the accommodation problems in these areas.
The NAGRAT President also disclosed that its members are not the only teachers’ association dealing with issues of affordable housing. He cited the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) as a group that has members that are severely financially burdened with the cost of accommodation.
More so, Mr. Angel Carbonu revealed that the NAGRAT has not been informed of any affordable housing made available to its members despite the promise of the incumbent President to have the affordable housing project finished and delivered to the association this year, 2024.
“We feel very disappointed. We feel very left behind and then we also feel that politicians don’t take us seriously. That is why this year we support the premises that, on-the-platform promises of politicians will not be kindly taken by us”.
Mr. Angel Carbonu
Accordingly, Mr. Angel Carbonu disclosed that the association, NAGRAT, has decided that it will only accept promises made by any politician if these promises are reflected in the manifestoes of the politician’s political party.
He suggested that the manifestoes must include plans and strategies on how to deliver on these promises made during electoral periods.
More so, the President of NAGRAT stated that it is unlikely that the affordable housing project will be done before the incumbent government ends its tenure in office in January, 2025 considering the time the government has left.
Politics Of Accountability
He opined that the NAGRAT and other stakeholders must find a means of making politicians accountable for their promises to public sector servants.
Mr. Angel Carbonu also declared that politicians must be subjected to scrutiny to ensure that they do not get away with making unwarranted political talks that they (the politicians) cannot deliver on or has the intention of delivering on.
The President of the National Association of Graduate Teacher made these remarks following the promise of the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to provide accommodation for teachers on the final day of his ‘Building Ghana’ tour in Tamale.
The avid politician and flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, promised to provide accommodation for teachers in his next term in government. He stated that he “cannot promise a better condition of service to all workers” but providing accommodation for teachers will lessen their financial burdens.
Conclusively, as the 2024 General Elections fast approach, politicians per their usual norm continue to present their plans for the country and make promises off of these plans. The general public however has refused to take politicians by their words this time. The attitude of demanding accountability from politicians by Ghanaians has redefined politics and the conduct of politics in Ghana’s political sphere.
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