Members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in the Nandom Municipal Education Office have expressed their displeasure over the distribution of recycled souvenir cloths for the 2025 calendar year.
According to the members, the clothes issued to them this year are weak in texture because they are old stock that the association kept only to redistribute to them this year. They were the same leadership that distributed to them about four years ago, a situation they described as disappointing and disrespectful to the union’s loyal members.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, 30th October 2025, the aggrieved members stated that the decision by the GNAT leadership to recycle old materials as souvenirs amounts to “an insult to the intelligence of members” and reflects “a lack of transformational leadership.”
They argued that the gesture undermines the dignity and commitment of teachers who continue to contribute to the growth of the association. The rejection of the souvenir, they said, was a symbolic protest intended to draw attention to what they described as “widespread mediocrity” in the leadership’s approach to member welfare.
“Who duplicates old-fashioned clothing in his or her wardrobe?” one member asked rhetorically, adding that GNAT, as the oldest teachers’ union in Ghana, must embrace innovative practices that reflect the changing times.
The statement further urged the national leadership of GNAT to ensure greater value addition in the annual souvenirs provided to members, stressing that the dedication and loyalty of teachers should not be taken for granted.
“Being the oldest teachers’ union should not translate into maintaining outdated ways of doing things,” the statement added.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is one of the country’s oldest and largest teachers’ unions, representing thousands of professional educators across all levels of the educational sector.
Established in 1931, the association has been instrumental in advocating for teachers’ welfare, improved conditions of service, and educational reforms in Ghana. Its annual souvenirs are traditionally distributed as a token of appreciation to members for their loyalty and contribution to the teaching profession. However, members all over the country have expressed their disappointment with what has happened this year.
Signed:
Wuoyang Martin
(Member, GNAT – Nandom Municipal)
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