Teachers in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region are calling for the immediate removal of the District Education Director, George Woyongo, citing allegations of maladministration and unfair treatment.
The disgruntled teachers initially embarked on an indefinite strike in protest but have since returned to the classrooms after Woyongo was asked to step aside to allow for investigations.
Their grievances include delays in salary processing, arbitrary transfers without due process, intimidation of staff, and a general lack of transparency in administrative matters.
They argue that Woyongo unfairly demoted four headteachers without the involvement of the District Disciplinary Committee. Additionally, they claim that the District Statistics Officer, who is regarded as hardworking and experienced with 14 years of service, was unjustly demoted.
Another issue raised by the teachers is the demotion of Emmanuel Alampulsa as District Training Officer since 2022, with his role being handed to the District Budget Officer, Gerald Awozare, without an open application process.
They insist that combining budgeting and expenditure responsibilities creates a conflict of interest. They also criticized the reassignment of Anthony Togiyiga, described as an IT expert and diligent worker, from his role as HR officer.
Furthermore, the teachers accused Woyongo of creating a toxic work environment, alleging that he routinely intimidates officers, headteachers, and teachers.
According to them, he frequently makes statements such as, “I am the Core Center Manager, who are you?”, “I am the director and my words are final”, and “I own the district, nobody can do anything.”
The statement, which was signed by District GNAT Chairman Albert Apuri, District GNAT Trustee Peter Addiyire, NAGRAT Representative Robert Abongo, and 11 other signatories, highlighted these concerns in detail.
In response to the crisis, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has established a committee to investigate the allegations against Woyongo. This move follows engagements between the aggrieved teachers and local authorities.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kassena-Nankana West, Billa Nikyema Alamzy, has acknowledged the teachers’ grievances but emphasized the need to prioritise the education of students who were left stranded due to the strike. He assured the teachers of his commitment to resolving the issue swiftly.
“Having carefully reviewed the petition, I have submitted a copy to the Ministry of Education and engaged the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, on the matter. The minister has assured me that the concerns raised by the teachers will be given due attention, and efforts will be made to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” the MP stated.
As of now, George Woyongo has not publicly responded to the allegations levelled against him.
Reporting by Mark Smith in the Upper East Region