N/R: Arabic instructors threaten demo over unpaid allowances
Arabic instructors in the Northern Region have threatened to demonstrate over the non-payment of their allowances under the Youth Employment Agency.
The over 900 instructors say they have not received their monthly stipend for over ten months.
They want the Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development to urgently disburse their allowances through the YEA for onward payment by Monday, 1st July.
The Arabic instructors’ engagement under the YEA, was a campaign promise of the governing New Patriotic Party.
Malam Adam, who speaks for the Arabic instructors in the Northern Region said they believe the Ministry is to blame for the nonpayment.
“After checking everything, it is the Zongo Development Minister, Mustapha Hamid, who is not releasing fund for the payment of the Arabic instructors.”
“We are appealing to the government to look at this so that all Arabic instructors will be paid their arrears. From now to Monday, if we do not hear any positive response from the Ministry, we will come out and do what they do not want to see. They think that because we are mallams and we are always speaking on peace, our grievances cannot be addressed.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo while campaigning for 2016 elections, assured Arabic Teachers that he will restore their teaching allowance when he wins the December 7 polls.
He chided the then Mahama government for cancelling the monthly allowance, promising that he will ensure that there are funds to pay the instructors their allowances.
“When I am given the opportunity to serve the nation, I will reintroduce the allowances paid to Arabic tutors,” Akufo-Addo said at the time.