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Mr. Tachie has been elected President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) after securing 436 votes, representing 61.8 per cent of the total valid votes cast, to defeat the incumbent President, Reverend Isaac Owusu, who polled 266 votes, representing 38 per cent.
The results officially bring Reverend Owusu’s tenure to an end and mark the beginning of a new leadership era for GNAT.
Speaking after his victory, Mr. Tachie described his election as the fulfilment of a long-held aspiration to serve teachers and the wider society.
“It has been our dream and our desire to serve humanity. Four years ago, we knocked on the doors of our teachers to give us the opportunity to serve,” he said.
He acknowledged the numerous challenges confronting the teaching profession but stressed that his leadership would focus on finding practical solutions.
“There are challenges, but the key issue has always been finding antidotes to the problems. That was the simple message I carried throughout the campaign,” he noted.
According to him, the new administration will prioritise identifying and addressing issues affecting teachers in a proactive manner.
“Going forward, as teachers and GNAT members, we are going to look at ways of identifying and confronting the challenges before us,” he stated.
Mr. Tachie outlined his vision of unionism as resting on three core pillars: professionalism, fairness in labour practices, and the economic welfare of members.
“Unionism thrives on three legs. You are looking at the professional aspect, which involves members’ education; addressing unfair labour practices; and then the economic needs of our members,” he explained.
He revealed that some initiatives had already begun at the regional level and would be expanded nationwide.
“We have already started some projects in the Ashanti Region, and we are looking to translate these initiatives to the national front so that teachers across the country can benefit,” he said.
Mr. Tachie further expressed his desire to make GNAT the preferred union within the teaching fraternity.
“Going forward, we wish to see GNAT becoming the union of choice in the teaching profession whenever unions are mentioned,” he added.
On promotion challenges within the education sector, the new GNAT President acknowledged existing concerns and promised to engage key stakeholders.
“Within the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, there are challenges regarding promotion. We want a fixed calendar and timeline for promotion examinations, and we will sit with the employer to address this,” he said.
Touching on labour relations, Mr. Tachie emphasised the importance of negotiation under the Labour Act.
“With the Labour Act 651, unionism today involves a lot of negotiations. You need to present solid reasons for the employer to buy into your ideas,” he explained.
Describing GNAT as a formidable force in the labour movement, he expressed confidence in what the union can achieve under his leadership.
“GNAT is the single most powerful union in Ghana. With our members, there is a lot we can achieve with the National Labour Commission and other stakeholders to ensure fair wages,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming his belief in dialogue as the primary tool for resolving disputes.
“We are new on board, and we will assess the current state of affairs to see what we can offer within the shortest possible time. Everything involves negotiation. It is only when parties are not ready to negotiate that problems arise. For now, I believe strongly in dialogue,” Mr. Tachie said.
Source: 3news
