General News of Friday, 5 April 2013
Source: Joy Online
Some teachers are angry at Kofi Jumah, former Member of Parliament for Asokwa for suggesting that politicians are more important than teachers and doctors.
The teachers claim the MP cannot describe them as non-entities.
The former MP did not understand the huge public outcry over the payment of ex-gratia to MPs at a time when teachers, doctors and other public and civil servants are protesting delays in salary arrears.
MPs for the 5th Parliament of the Fourth Republic have been paid in excess of 39 million cedis as end of service benefits. The payment was said to have been in three installments ending March 2013.
The payment triggered huge public outcry, especially public servants who are unhappy over the delays in payment of their allowances which have been in arrears for several months.
Discussing the issue on Adom FM, Kofi Jumah justified the payments made to the MPs.
He also hit back at critics who raised issues with the preferential treatment to politicians vis-à-vis other public servants.
He said the roles of teachers and doctors can in no way be compared to that of politicians.
His comments have left teachers fuming with some demanding an immediate apology.
Some of the angry teachers who spoke to Joy News said it is the teacher who makes a politician. They found the comment by Kofi Jumah very offensive.
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Irene Adanusa said the comparison of teachers, doctors and politicians is needless.
She said the three professionals have different areas of expertise working in different environments for which reason they should not be compared.
She did not understand why the MP will make such comparisons.
But Kofi Jumah remains adamant. He told Joy News it is the constitution of Ghana that puts the role of politicians over and above all other public servants in Ghana.
He said the constitution puts the president as the number one citizen of Ghana, followed by the Vice president then the legislature follows in that order.
Kofi Jumah insisted the Legislature is the beacon of democracy and represents the interest of all shades of professions, including doctors, teachers, etc.