Ga-Dangme group accuses GES of artificial shortage of Ga-Dangme teachers

A group calling itself Ga-Dangme Tahuloi Akpee has accused the Ghana Education Service (GES) of deliberately creating an artificial shortage of Ga -Dangme teachers as part of a grand agenda to make the language extinct and wipe out from history.

The group has also warned that the situation coupled with other happenings on Ga-Dangme lands are creating tension that may escalate if not resolved.

Addressing a press conference in Somanya in the Eastern region, the Founder and Convener of the group, Michael Nii Korley Commodore, alleged, without evidence, that the GES deliberately posts professionally-trained teachers competent in the Ga-Dangme language to other regions to teach different subjects.

“Another thing we are very worried about is the deliberate creation of artificial shortage of Ga -Dangme language teachers in schools in the Greater Accra and parts of Eastern Region and Volta Region by the Ghana Education Service. professional teachers who have been trained to teach Ga and Dangme language at various basic and Senior High Schools in Ga -Dangme communities are deliberately posted to faraway places to teach other subjects like English or Social Studies,” Commodore continued.

“This has resulted in an obvious shortage of Ghanaian Language teachers for the schools within the Ga-Dangme areas. In their effort to bridge this unfortunate gap some headmasters and proprietors of some schools in the region have resorted to teaching Twi and Hausa languages within the schools located on Ga-Dangme land. Honestly, we see this as a deliberate attempt to exterminate or destroy the Ga-Dangme language and we shall not sit down and allow that to happen”.

Again, the group stated that henceforth they will not accept the nomination of non-native of Ga-Dangme to become Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executive (MMDCE) on any Ga Dangme Land in the Country.

They also stressed that beginning 2024, the Chiefs and People of Ga -Dangme will also reject Parliamentary candidates who are not Ga-Dangme contesting to represent them in Parliament.

“We have consciously toured the entire country and have realized the Dagomba people are occupying all the Dagomba seats in Parliament. Akyems, Ashantis, Nzemas, Fantes, and all other tribes are also occupying their respective seats in Parliament. We would like to make it clear to the NPP and NDC that no one that is not a native of Ga-Dangme will be allowed to contest any Ga -Dangme parliamentary seats in the forthcoming 2024 general elections. We are ready to work cordially with all the political parties to achieve this”.

The group noted with great concern that, Ga-Dangme communities across the country are underdeveloped and denied basic social amenities such as potable drinking water, good roads, health facilities among others.

They cited that “Akosombo and Akuse both have hydroelectric generating dams built to serve Ghana and its neighbors. However, Akosombo township is very well planned, well-kept and every single road there is beautifully tarred. Candidly speaking, the story at Akuse is absolutely different and disgusting”.

Ga -Dangme Tahuloi Akpee group added that the Kpong and Bukunor Water treatment plants are on Krobo Land however residents have been denied access despite facing potable water stress challenges.

The group also wants the government to rename the Greater Accra region to the Ga-Dangme region with new demarcation to cover Yilo Krobo, Manya Krobo in Eastern Region, Agortime in the Volta Region, and Awutu in the Central Region.

Meanwhile, Robert Tettehfio Adjesey, a Presidential staffer, has said he will help the group’s fight even if it would cost him his job.