The Nkwanta branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has ordered the closure of some schools within the Nkwanta municipality in the Oti region, to ensure the safety of their members in the area amid a tribal conflict which is said to be going on currently.
A source in the area told this news portal that there is some sort of fear and panic among residents of the region owing to a tribal conflict between two tribes; the Akyodes and the Challas which has resulted in some people fleeing the area for fear of being attacked.
It is not clear at the time of filling this story, what might have caused the conflict but information available to this news portal is that a lot of people are leaving the area with their families to avoid being caught in the conflict.
The source continued that one major reason why people are fleeing the area has to do with kind of sophisticated weapons allegedly used by some members of the tribes involved in the conflict.
GNAT, a trade union representing school and college teachers in Ghana perhaps to ensure that it members are the area are safe from potential trouble, have ordered that schools in the area be closed for now.
In a letter dated October 26, 2021 and signed by Stephen Kwame Amenu, Kwanta District Secretary, the association noted that its order for the temporary closure of the schools is in line with the country’s Labour Act which states that employers must always take steps to ensure the safety of the employee.
“Our letter is in line with Section (9) (c) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) which tstaes that the employer shall, “take all practical steps to ensure that the worker is free from risk of personal injury or damage to his or her health during and in the course of the worker’s employment or while lawfully on the employer’s premises,” portion of the letter read.
It continued that the employer (GES) owes employees fiduciary duty to ensure that their members work in a safe environment and added that it is for that reason that the association has called on the heads of schools in the area to close down schools as matter of urgency to allow members stay indoor to avert any attack on them.
“We will not accept any form of excuse should you fail to act on this letter and something misfortune happens to any of our members” the letter concluded.
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