Accra: The Minority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has criticised Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for what he described as a lack of cooperation in addressing pressing issues affecting teachers. Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Afenyo-Markin accused the two ministers of prioritizing internal political battles over who should succeed President John Dramani Mahama after his tenure as the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, rather than focusing on the plight of teachers awaiting recruitment and payment of arrears.
According to Ghana Web, Afenyo-Markin condemned the education minister's recent remarks that teacher employment requires clearance from the Finance Ministry, insisting that the ministers should work together to resolve the matter instead of shifting responsibility. He criticized the situation where the education minister suggested that the responsibility lies with the finance minister, urging cooperation and immediate action to address the needs of teachers.
Afenyo-Markin emphasized the urgency of securing necessary approvals for teacher recruitment, highlighting that the teachers are suffering due to the lack of action. He further criticized attempts to discourage teachers from picketing, arguing that their constitutional right to demonstrate was being undermined. Afenyo-Markin urged the education minister to engage directly with the finance minister to secure the necessary approvals for teacher recruitment.
Haruna Iddrisu had initially acknowledged the frustrations of teachers but explained that his ministry lacks the authority to approve payments or recruitment without clearance from the Finance Ministry. He stated, "I know a lot of teachers are not happy with Government and the Education Ministry, but I am not the approval authority. I need clearance from the Finance Ministry."