President Akufo-Addo Promises Affordable Housing for All Teachers in the Country

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is once again at the centre of discussions as he has promised to provide Rental and Mortgage housing to all teachers in the country at a meeting with the Executives of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) on Tuesday, January 4, 2022.

According to him, if Ghana is to make considerable progress in the long term, special attention needs to be given to teachers across the various levels of the educational ladder.

He also said that his government does not see teaching as 'stop-gap measure or a job of last resort' but a viable choice to enter into a well-respected profession with positive long term career and future prospects.

"On Tuesday, 4th January 2022, I participated and delivered remarks at the 6th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), which is also being used to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Association.

For us, in Ghana, also to make a success of our nation, we must pay attention to teachers. My Government believes that teaching should not be seen as a stop-gap measure or a job of last resort, but as a viable choice to enter a well-respected profession with positive long term career prospects and good benefits," he said.

He continued to list some of the interventions that have been reinstated since he assumed office, "We have restored, since coming into office five years ago, and continue to pay, teacher trainee allowances, which were abolished by the previous administration.

In addition to the yearly average increase in salaries over the last five (5) years, my Government is, for the first time in our nation's history, paying a professional allowance to teachers. We have abolished the three (3) months’ pay policy for teachers, we have cleared the arrears, and promotions due teachers have also been effected."

He promised to build an affordable housing facility for all teachers across the nation. He said that it will be in twofold: Rental and Mortgage. He Mortgage. He said that concessionary loans will be made available to teachers do they could own their own apartments in desired locations in various parts of the country.

"Government is also committed to the development of affordable housing for teachers all across the nation. The current initiative will involve the provision of housing for both mortgage and rental.
Through a subsidised loan programme, teachers will be provided an opportunity to own houses in desired locations in various parts of the country. The Ministry of Education is working with the National Service Scheme on this.

In addition, the Ministry of Works and Housing is in discussion with teacher unions to provide more housing opportunities for teachers. Within the next two years, it is proposed that ten thousand (10,000) housing units on affordable terms will be developed for teachers across the nation," President Akufo-Addo stated.

However, some reactions from the public are inversely related to the President's promise. They said that he should stop the propaganda and act. Others are also of the view that he already discredited the teacher profession when he said that you can't be rich as teacher in Ghana.

By Discoverers_Gh (self-media writer)