Deputy Education Minister, Professor Dr Kingsley Nyarko has expressed concern about the decision by members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to walk out on him in protest against the government’s failure to give them their laptops.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Prof. Nyarko acknowledged that while Ghana is a democratic country where everyone is free to protest, he found the action of the teachers troubling.
“Although we live in a democracy and people have the right to protest, I believe their decision was inappropriate and counterproductive,” he said.
The incident occurred during a meeting where members of GNAT, frustrated by the government’s failure to deliver on its promise, walked out on the Deputy Minister.
Some teachers and GNAT National Council members even jeered at him and prevented him from delivering his speech.
This disruption happened as the Council was about to open its week-long annual meeting.
However, Prof. Nyarko said despite the disruption, he was pleased to represent the Minister of Education.
“It affects you as well. They might think they are impacting me personally, but it affects them just as much. I share in their frustrations, but their actions were misplaced” he said.
In his view, while there may be challenges, it doesn’t justify such behavior.
“Their actions went overboard and were wrong.”
Prof. Nyarko also pointed out that, their conduct was damaging to the image of the Council.
“I am a politician and a psychologist; such actions don’t move me. However, it’s important for them to be aware that their behavior was inappropriate and exposed the Council in a negative light” he stated.
The Member of Parliament for Kwadaso Constituency, described how, after the walkout, those who had left returned to the event while still singing and shouting.
“They didn’t even allow me to speak,” he said. “The leadership asked me to sit, but the disturbances continued.”
He therefore urged GNAT leaders to be cautious about the examples they set.
“What happened doesn’t affect me personally. But they need to be very careful about the examples they are setting as executive council members” he warned.
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