The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission says it is ready to address concerns raised by pre-tertiary teacher unions over their conditions of service.
However, the Commission is asking the unions to wait for the establishment of the proposed Independent Public Emoluments Commission, which is expected to take responsibility for issues relating to public sector allowances and compensation.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) say they cannot wait indefinitely for a commission whose establishment and legal backing remain uncertain.
The unions have therefore maintained September 7, 2026, as their deadline for industrial action if their concerns are not addressed.
Teacher unions demand allowances
The unions are demanding the implementation of agreed conditions of service, including a 20 percent deprived-area allowance, digital allowance and professional development allowance.
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission says it has already engaged the unions on their concerns.
Its Chief Executive, Dr. Smith Graham, explained that because of the planned transition to the Independent Public Emoluments Commission, the Commission is not undertaking a comprehensive review of conditions of service this year.
“We have already engaged them twice and this year, because of the transition, we are not doing a holistic review of any conditions of service. What we are doing is to identify some allowances and deal with them. Since we are transitioning into the Independent Public Emoluments Commission, they should wait.”
NAGRAT rejects call to wait
But NAGRAT President, Jacob Anaba, says the unions cannot put their demands on hold while waiting for the new commission to be established.
He says teachers are expecting the implementation of already-agreed allowances.
“We need to have our conditions of service implemented now. We have two payments that have to be done: our deprived-area allowance, digital allowance and professional development allowance. So, we cannot wait for the commission to be set up.”
GNAT warns of possible industrial action
General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Tanko Musah, has also expressed concern about the continued delay in addressing the unions’ demands.
He says government must act before the September 7 deadline to prevent industrial action.
“The deadline has been given, and it is in the interest of government that we get this matter resolved as soon as possible. Nobody should deceive himself or herself that the agreement we have signed together means we cannot wait for an Independent Public Emoluments Commission to be set up.”
The teacher unions insist they will proceed with industrial action on September 7 if concrete steps are not taken to address their concerns.
The development puts renewed pressure on the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and government to reach an agreement with the unions before the deadline.
By Daniel Opoku
