The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations is set to hold a crunch meeting with three striking teacher unions to negotiate their conditions of service.

On Wednesday, March 20, teacher unions comprising the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT-Gh) embarked on indefinite strike due to the government's delay in renewing their collective agreements, among other concerns.

According to the Technical Advisor of the Ministry, Bright Wireko Brobbey, his office seeks to address the concerns raised by the teacher unions by seeking common ground. This has forced the Ministry to summon stakeholders to the negotiation table in order to resolve their differences.

Speaking on JoyFM’s Newsnight on March 20, he said“ I have spoken with their leadership, we are meeting them God willing on Friday morning to ensure that the government side, that is the Fair Wages and Salary Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the mother ministry, the Ministry of Education, are meeting to address all these things. We  should not go beyond Monday to address the issue of strike."

He insisted that despite the general notion that the government is unconcerned about the plight of its citizens, this approach serves to reiterate the government's commitment to securing its people.

“As I speak to you formal invitation letters have been sent to all the unions. God willing Friday we will meet and I am sure by the end of the meeting based on the resolutions and how far we are going and how far they will see that the government is committed to addressing those issues, we should be able to get it through,” he added

Mr Brobbey clarified that the ministry was often kept in the dark about most of the concerns raised by the teacher unions, and it was frequently brought into the picture at the eleventh hour.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that after the meeting on Friday, all parties would reach an agreement, thereby resolving the impasse.