Ashanti regional executives of the National Association of Graduate Teachers are questioning the real motives behind recent demonstrations and threats of secession by the Coalition of Concerned Teachers. Regional NAGRAT Chairman, Paul Essaw says the coalition has failed to make a solid point regarding exactly what they want from the leadership of NAGRAT. According to him, the group has rather been peddling false allegations of incompetence and lack of transparency against NAGRAT. He described as unfortunate the decision by the breakaway group not to use procedures within GNAT or NAGRAT to effect a change of leadership, but rather go on demonstrations to make unacceptable demands. The Coalition of Concerned Teachers emerged following teachers dissatisfaction with aspects of the implementation of the new pay policy (single spine pay policy) and their February salaries. They accused the two main teacher associations, GNAT and NAGRAT, of incompetence and failing to negotiate good service conditions for teachers. The coalition has since been demonstrating across the country to drum home their calls for executives of the two teacher associations to step down. Addressing the media in Kumasi, Mr. Essaw said the motive of the concerned teachers is questionable. He lambasted one of the leaders, Ernest Opoku for peddling false information that teachers had been paid without the anomalies in their salaries rectified and the 15% retention premium not included. Mr Essaw said these are deliberate actions by the group to throw dust into the eyes of graduate teachers. “Here in the Ashanti region I have tried several times to call them to my office, the two that I have met, giving me their names was even a problem, will tell you 'for security reason we can’t mention our names or schools. Our phone numbers are there just call us and we will reply', how do we talk to such faceless individuals of this nature?”, he quibbled. Mr Essaw is of the view that recent low turnouts to demonstrations by the coalition attest to the fact that graduate teachers are still satisfied with the leadership of NAGRAT and the efforts they are making to negotiate better conditions of service for teachers. He advised the coalition of concerned teachers to give up demonstrating in other regions because their numbers are dwindling. Story by Kwabena Owusu-Ampratwum/Luv Fm/Ghana