Better conditions of service and the general welfare of teachers in the country are high on the agenda of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), for the next four years.

The newly elected GNAT national executives are also targeting improvement in the health care of its 246,000 members especially regarding cancer and related diseases, following the acquisition of the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre; a specialised cancer treatment facility in Accra.

According to the GNAT National President, Reverend Isaac Owusu, good corporate governance, collaboration with stakeholders, socio-economic and professional development of its members would also be pursued.

He outlined the agenda yesterday when he led the new national officers to pay a courtesy call on the management of the New Times Corporation, publishers of the Ghanaian Times and the Spectator in Accra.

The visit was to officially introduce to the NTC management, the new officers who were elected at the association’s 6th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference held on January 7, 2022 in Kumasi.

They are Lucy Asamoa, Vice President; Ranford Lolih, Treasurer; John Owusu, 1^ST Trustee and Mercy Sagbil, 2^nd Trustee who were accompanied by administrative staff including Daniel Affadu and Kwame Dagbandow, Deputy Secretaries; and Nicholas Taylor, Head of Administration and Organisation.

The officers were received by the Managing Director of NTC, Martin Adu-Owusu; Ghanaian Times Editor, Dave Agbenu; Spectator Editor, Emmanuel Amponsah; Human Resources and Administrative Manager, Felix Acheampong, Marketing Manager, Alfred Koomson; Technical Services Manager, John Lawson, and Chief AccountantPrecious K. Kuagbedzi.

Rev. Owusu said the visit was in line with the association’s plan to strengthen its stakeholder engagement with institutions like NTC, which it considered as a strategic partner.

He said in keeping with the theme for its 90^th anniversary; “Surviving as a reliable and vibrant teacher union in the 21st century” there was the need to work hand in hand with the media to achieve its goals.

He said the new national officers would build on the good works of its predecessors including the Teachers Fund and the treatment of cancer and related diseases at the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre.

He said following an agreement reached at its conference last year retirees could now access health care at the facility while it was open to the public at a fee.

“As a union which is 90 years old, the newly elected officers have a huge task but we would work in the interest of members to make the GNAT continue to stay relevant,” he said.

MrAdu-Owusu congratulated the new officers and assured them of the readiness of the NTC to collaborate with them to champion the welfare of teachers.

“Information dissemination is part of our work. So our doors are open. We are ready to help. Ours is a national assignment just as yours, so we will support you. We are ready, so you can count on us,” he said.

The MD underscored the need for both sides to implore other ways they could collaborate to spread the activities of the association to the public in order to keep it relevant.

MrAgbenu, noting that the executives had assumed office at a time there was agitation at the labour front, urged them to work to resolve such challenges so the academic calendar would normalise.

On his part, Mr Emmanuel Amposah advised the officers to guard jealously the image of the association and fight for a good cause.

BY JONATHAN DONKOR AND SAMUEL G. ODURO