Concerned over the President's removal of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) (GES).
According to NAGRAT, the outcome has left association members feeling extremely disappointed in addition to being unexpected.
"I am quite disappointed by this. Our astonishment stems from the fact that we had a person who was able to establish a strong rapport with the union, according to NAGRAT President Angel Carbonu.
According to a statement from the Presidency, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa was fired from his job in a letter dated Monday, October 17, 2022, since his services were no longer required.
His secondment from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in January 2021 was specifically mentioned when he was appointed in April 2017 (KNUST).
The contract was once more extended in June 2021, but the letter claimed that this extension "contravenes the Public Services Commission's Human Resource Policy Frame and Manual as it seeks to extend your secondment beyond the 3-year maximum limit."
The revocation of Prof. Opoku-appointment, Amankwa's in the opinion of NAGRAT, will have a significant impact on choices regarding better working conditions for teachers.
"A lot of our conversations with him were well along. Therefore, I believe there is someone at Jubilee House who is unaware of the work being done at the GES for this termination to occur at this time. I believe that this contentious termination will have an impact on us.
Angel Carbonu responded that he does not anticipate the upcoming appointment to be a member of a political party when questioned about his expectations for the future Director-General of the GES.
"I anticipate the incoming Director-General to be a person who has successfully completed the GES, has climbed through the ranks, and is familiar with the nuances of the service. I also anticipate a person who will distance himself from the political party that chooses him and sees himself as a professional rather than a party operator by opening his doors to the union in resolving issues, the speaker said.
Professor Opoku-Amankwa has been told to go back to KNUST in the interim.