Veep inaugurates GNAT Heights

Published in the Daily Graphic on 9/06/2010, pg 49

Story: Timothy Gobah & Matilda Attram
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, yesterday inaugurated an eight-storey office block built by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in Accra with the assurance that the government would motivate teachers for them to give their best.
The GH¢7.2 million facility, constructed with contributions from members of the association, will be rented out to businesses to generate more funds for the welfare of the members of GNAT.
The new office complex, also known as the GNAT Heights, adds to the number of subsidiaries owned by the association.
The others are a GH¢5.8million hostel facility constructed at the University of Ghana, a non-banking financial institution and a credit mall.
Mr Mahama said the government, recognising the role of teachers in the nation’s human resource development, would make all efforts to support them to enable them to perform creditably.
He said the government was working out an incentive package for teachers, particularly those in the deprived communities and science teachers.
He said since teachers contributed greatly to the development of every nation and their services covered all sectors of the economy, there was the need for them to be motivated to be encouraged to give their best.
“Government is determined to give comfort to teachers, since they contribute tremendously in moulding the future leaders of this country for development,” he said.
The Vice-President said although the remuneration of teachers was below their expectation, they continued to discharge their duties with commitment, which portrayed their patriotism.
He said GNAT was one of the few professional associations in the country that had withstood challenges due to its strong structural internal mechanisms and governance, and called on other associations to emulate the example.
“As teachers society holds you in high esteem as the paragon of all virtues. I, therefore, urge you to continue to remain united and steadfast in your vision to building a solid association,” he stated.
Giving an overview of the Teacher’s Trust Fund, the Board Chairman of the fund, Mr Samuel Ofori-Adjei, indicated that the fund was established in 1998 by the association as a retirement supplement scheme for its members.
“The objectives of the fund are to provide retirement supplement, lifestyle enhancing facilities, access to credit purchases from Credit Mall Limited, and to engage in real estate ventures,” he stated.
According to him, although some members of the association faced challenges with their salaries at the time the fund was established, they remained committed by paying contributions, which had finally paid off.
He stated that investment of the fund had grown from GH¢3.6million in 2002 to over GH¢72 million with contributions from more than 150,000 teachers
In a statement, the President of GNAT, Mr Paul Apanga, called on members of the association to contribute their best to the fund to enhance their welfare.
Present at the function were the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo, and the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Dr Fred Degbe, among other personalities.