GRi In Parliament 03-03-99

Accra (Greater Accra), 3 March 

There was a heated debate in Parliament by members on both sides of the house when a minority member wanted to ask a question on behalf of a colleague of the majority.

The question stood in the name of Mr Nicholas Appiah-Kubi, NDC-Jaman, who was absent because he has lost his wife.

Consequently, Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu, NPP- Ahafo Ano South, catching the speaker's eye, told the house that Mr Appiah-Kubi, whom he described as his "bosom friend", has authorized him to ask the question on his behalf.

Some members on the Majority side opposed it vehemently.

They were of the view that whenever any member from either side of the House was absent, with permission, it was another member from the same side, who should ask a question that stands in his or her name.

After members on both sides have debated the issue for some time, with threats from the majority, Mr Manu said he has "withdrawn honourably"

Alhaji Amadu Ali, NDC-Atebubu asked the question for the bereaved colleague.

In answer to the question as to why most teachers, who joined the Ghana Education Service (GES) before 1972 are going on voluntary retirement, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education, indicated that the problem has persisted for some time now, and that it is not a new phenomenon.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said the spate of voluntary retirements within GES in recent times has become a matter of grave and serious concern to the ministry.

Quoting figures to buttress his point, the education Minister said in 1997, a total of 572 teachers retired voluntarily, while the figure for last year stood at 630.

The figures, he said, shot up last year, with 1,142 voluntary and 959 compulsory retirements, adding that most of the voluntary retired teachers were torn between either opting for the Pension Scheme under the Teacher's Pension Ordinance (TPO) of 1952 or the SSNIT Pension Scheme.

Mr Spio-Garbrah referred to misinformation by a section of the media on last year's budget, explaining that this led to speculations that the Pension Scheme under PTO and the SSNIT Pension Scheme would be merged by the year 2,000.

This, he said, consequently made a good number of teachers contemplate to retire voluntarily for fear that government might freeze their pension rights under the PTO of 1952 which is often referred to as "CAP 30".

Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP-Abuakwa lamented the poor conditions of service of teachers in public schools, and said, this in his view, has not only contributed to falling standards in education, but to the abysmal performances of pupils and students.

Replying, the minister conceded the point raised by Nana Akufo-Addo, but assured teachers that his ministry is doing everything possible to improve the service conditions of members of GES to boost their morale.