New GES DG negotiated COLA; accept him – MoE to teachers

Minister for Education, Dr Adutwum has entreated teacher unions to accept the appointment of Eric Nkansah as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service saying he was a lead negotiator of teachers’ Cost of living allowance (COLA).

Mr Osei Yaw’s appeal comes after the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu described the appointment of Eric as a banker who has no background in teaching as not fit for purpose.

“This appointment is an indication that there are no qualified teaching professionals to man education in Ghana. What annoyed and surprised all of us was that a new Director General has been appointed to the GES,” he told the media.

Mr Carbonu continued that “we want a Director General who is a professional teacher, who has passed through the mill and can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in GES.”

But, the Minister in charge of Education in his address at a conference of Directors of Education in Accra on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, urged teacher unions to accept Eric Nkansah’s appointment as the Director-General of GES.

“For those that may still be doubting the qualification and diverse experience the new Director brings to the GES: “he has taught in basic schools, he has taught in secondary schools, Geography, contrary to what you heard

Nkansah at a point went into banking but soon returned to academia to take up a teaching job that kept him at the Kumasi Technical University for over a decade until his appointment at the Ministry of Education two years ago

“Like some teachers, he left to go and do some banking. He got bored with banking and went to the university to teach, and has taught for over ten years at the Kumasi Technical University

When I became the Minister for Education, I brought him to the Ministry where he became the Director for Tertiary Education so for almost two years, he has been the Director of Tertiary Education

“Another responsibility he has also handled very well was the fact that he was my lead person for all labour negotiations. So the union leaders know him more than me

He has been working with them on labour negotiations. He was the Ministry of Education’s lead person for the negotiation of COLA,” the Education Minister told Directors of Education at the Conference.

Dr Eric Nkansah after President Akufo-Addo ended the former Director-General in charge of Ghana Education Service, Opoku Amankwa’s contract of secondment was appointed to act as the Director-General of the Service on October 19.

Before he was appointed the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Eric Nkansah was the Technical Advisor/Director in charge of Tertiary Education at the Ministry in charge of Education (MoE).