GNAT Faces Backlash Over Ghana's Public Embarrassment

So, Ghana is doing big things again, with the President announcing an ambitious path for education spending at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) conference in Accra.

The President stated that education spending is up by 10% in 2026, but still only 3.1% of GDP, below UNESCO’s minimum 4% benchmark. The government plans to push spending upward over the next three years to meet the target.

However, the conference also highlighted an awkward issue – the lack of formal acknowledgement of the Ga traditional authority, whose jurisdiction Accra falls under. This has raised questions about protocol and respect for local identity.

In January 2022, at GNAT’s 6th quadrennial national delegates conference in Kumasi, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, was invited to address teachers and government, urging dialogue over industrial action and calling for reforms that stimulate creativity and innovation.

In contrast, the 7th quadrennial (54th) national delegates conference at UPSA in Accra, with top national figures in attendance and major announcements, including a GH¢500 million budget allocation to partner with GNAT on a teacher housing scheme, did not appropriately recognize the Ga Mantse.

This has led to accusations of favouritism and a lack of respect for local tradition. GNAT has been criticized for demanding fairness in pensions, conditions of service, and safety for teachers while presiding over an event culture that treats local identity as background decoration.

GNAT should correct this oversight publicly, cleanly, and quickly, without excuses, to maintain its moral authority and lead by example. As the saying goes, ‘respect the ground before you mount the platform.’

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE