The President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has called on President Akufo-Addo to initiate processes to establish a commission that will look at the salary levels of all workers in the country.

Mrs Philippa Larsen stated that the current system of remuneration for public sector workers in the country is not fair, hence the need for a review.

She made the call at the 6th quadrennial delegates conference of the Upper West branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers.

‘‘We are all Ghanaian workers and we all go to the same markets. I do not understand why somebody could be given 4 per cent and another will be given 79 per cent. We have made our call, we will see what happens in the days ahead," she added.

The Association’s request comes at a time when members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) have laid down their working tools to protest the government’s refusal to heed calls to improve their worsening conditions of service.

According to Mrs Larsen, the Ghana Education Service (GES) should continue to work on all outstanding and unresolved issues.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, "GNAT @90, Surviving as a relevant and reliable teacher union in the 21st century: Threat of national policies to trade unionism," Senior lecturer at the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS), Dr. Damascus Tuurosung observed that there is no love-lust between any government and the Labour unions.

‘‘No government wants a formidable Labour union that will stand up to its rights. Governments prefer feeble unions which are malleable, and manipulatable to state control. Therebefore governments resort to all manner of tricks to weaken unions,’’ he stated.

Dr. Damascus Tuurosung, nonetheless, urged members of GNAT to among other things zealously guide against their political independence in order for the association to achieve its set objectives.

‘‘As for the name-calling and tagging (political), it will happen but remain as independent as you possibly can and build a solid financial muzzle. Once you become financially solid on the ground, no one will come over to dangle peanuts before you and try to buy you over," he opined.

Meanwhile, new regional executives were elected at the end of the conference to steer the affairs of the association for the next 4 years.