The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) has given government a two-week ultimatum to address outstanding issues concerning its members’ Conditions of Service, allowances and recruitment.
The Union says it will not wait for the establishment of the proposed Independent Public Emoluments Commission to resolve its concerns.
The position follows an indication by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission that it will not engage public sector unions on allowances and conditions of service until the Independent Public Emoluments Commission is established.
TEWU Chairperson, Salamatu Braimah, says waiting for the commission could further delay the implementation of agreements already reached with workers.
“The Independent Public Emoluments Commission—they are now going to draft the bill. The bill will have to go through a process and become an Act before we can start implementing. So, when is it going to be—today, tomorrow? And because of that, labour should wait until it is set up? No, we cannot wait.”
TEWU says a number of outstanding issues continue to affect its members, including unpaid overtime allowances, responsibility allowances and the implementation of negotiated conditions of service.
Deputy General Secretary of TEWU, Gifty Turkson, is demanding the immediate payment of overtime arrears owed to watchmen and security personnel within the Ghana Education Service.
“TEWU of TUC demands the prompt payment of all outstanding overtime allowances owed to watchmen and security personnel in the Ghana Education Service that have accrued over the years. This category of staff work tirelessly on weekends and public holidays to keep educational institutions functioning, often at the expense of their social lives, yet the remuneration needed to compensate them for their sacrifices has not been paid.”
The Union is also demanding the immediate introduction and payment of responsibility allowances for unit heads who perform additional supervisory and administrative duties.
According to TEWU, claims that the responsibility allowance has already been consolidated into workers’ basic salaries are inaccurate.
“TEWU of TUC again demands the introduction and immediate payment of responsibility allowances to unit heads who perform additional supervisory and administrative duties in the Ghana Education Service. The assertion that such allowances have been consolidated into their basic salaries is false, since the allowances cannot be found in the consolidation.”
TEWU is further calling for the full implementation of the signed conditions of service for non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service.
The Union insists that the annual leave provisions contained in the agreement must be respected and implemented without alteration.
“We are also demanding full and immediate implementation of the conditions of service for non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service without further delay. In particular, the annual leave days stipulated in the signed conditions of service should not be altered but fully operationalised for the benefit of our members.”
TEWU has also raised concerns over the implementation of a five percent operational allowance for eligible junior staff of public and technical universities, as well as staff of the Ghana Library Authority, museums and the Emoluments Board.
TEWU says the allowance was expected to take effect from February 2026, but the implementation date was allegedly moved to July 2026.
It is demanding payment of the six months’ arrears accumulated from February to July 2026.
“TEWU demands the full implementation of the agreed five percent operational allowance for eligible junior staff of public and technical universities, staff of the Ghana Library Authority, museums and the Emoluments Board, as contained in the negotiated and signed conditions of service. The Union objects to the unilateral change of the implementation date from February 2026 to July 2026 and demands the immediate payment of the accrued six months’ arrears.”
TEWU Demands More Recruitment
Beyond allowances and conditions of service, TEWU is calling for increased recruitment of non-teaching personnel across the education sector.
The Union says the recent recruitment exercise by the Ministry of Education has not adequately addressed the shortage of non-teaching staff.
TEWU says while 7,000 teachers were recruited, only about 500 non-teaching staff were recruited, describing the figure as woefully inadequate.
The Union says understaffing is placing excessive pressure on existing personnel and contributing to stressful working conditions.
“TEWU is calling for substantial recruitment to address the severe shortage of non-teaching personnel across Ghana’s education sector. In recent times, educational institutions in Ghana have been understaffed, thereby overburdening the few staff in these institutions.”
The Union is therefore asking government to provide adequate clearance for educational institutions to recruit additional non-teaching personnel.
Dispute Over University Council Representation
TEWU is also raising concerns over what it describes as attempts by some universities to change its representation on governing councils.
The union says some universities are replacing TEWU’s TUC representatives with junior staff members, a move it argues undermines its representation and the interests of its members.
TEWU is appealing to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene.
“TEWU demands the restoration and protection of its representation on the governing councils of universities and colleges of education in accordance with the relevant Acts. The Union has noted with great concern attempts by some universities to change members of TEWU TUC to junior staff members, which is affecting their work and must be halted.”
TEWU says it expects government and the relevant institutions to address all the outstanding issues within two weeks.
The Union has warned that failure to resolve the grievances within the period could compel it to take further action.
Full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
BY THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF THE TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL WORKERS’ UNION (TEWU) OF TUC (GHANA)
THE PERSISTENT NEGLECT AND DISREGARD OF NON-TEACHING STAFF IN THE GHANA EDUCATION SERVICE, TERTIARY AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Sister National Chairperson, National Leadership of TEWU of TUC, Management Committee Members, Leadership of CULUE (Universities), Leadership of the GES Think Tank, Our Cherished Members of the Union, Brothers and Sisters from the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen.
We have invited you here today, 14th August 2026, because our hearts are heavy and our members are agitated over the unfair treatment they face at their various workplaces, which constitutes unfair labour practices as stipulated in the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) of TUC (Ghana) is raising serious concerns over the persistent neglect and unfair treatment of non-teaching staff in the Ghana Education Service (GES), public/technical universities and other educational institutions in Ghana. Despite the essential roles that non-teaching staff in educational institutions play, these workers continue to face discrimination, delayed payment of remuneration, unfair labour practices, inadequate recognition, limited career progression and poor working conditions.
TEWU reiterates that non-teaching staff are an integral part of Ghana’s education system and must not be treated as an afterthought. The Union therefore calls for urgent attention to the challenges confronting these workers and demands that concrete measures be taken by the relevant authorities to address them and safeguard industrial harmony in the education sector.
TEWU has engaged the leadership of GES, GTEC and some university managements in good faith on these concerns. However, the grievances of non-teaching staff can no longer be treated as secondary.
Fairness must be mutual and must apply equally to all categories of workers within the education sector because we are partners in the field.
Summary of TEWU’s Key Demands
TEWU has outlined eight urgent demands aimed at addressing the challenges facing non-teaching staff and sustaining industrial peace in Ghana’s education sector:
1. Non-Payment of Long-Outstanding Overtime Allowances to Watchmen/Security Personnel in the Ghana Education Service
TEWU of TUC demands the prompt payment of all outstanding overtime allowances owed to watchmen and security personnel in the Ghana Education Service that have accrued over the years. This category of staff works tirelessly on weekends and public holidays to keep educational institutions functioning, often at the expense of their social lives. Yet, the remuneration needed to compensate them for their sacrifices has not been paid.
We demand the immediate payment of all accrued overtime arrears to the affected personnel without further delay.
2. Decoupling Rank from Position and Correction of Promotion and Career Progression Anomalies in the Ghana Education Service
TEWU of TUC calls for the decoupling of ranks from positions and for non-teaching staff to be promoted to their respective ranks without hindrance. We urge GES Management to formally entrench the decoupling of grade/rank from position, such that the Chief grade within the Ghana Education Service is fully decoupled from positional appointments and reclassified as a substantive, non-encumbered grade. Promotion from Chief II to the Chief grade should be based on clearly defined eligibility and merit-based criteria, including a minimum of four (4) years on the Chief II grade with satisfactory performance and successful completion of a prescribed interview or examination, rather than being contingent on the availability of vacancies.
This separation will address long-standing bottlenecks, reduce stagnation and align GES practices with modern public-service human resource management principles.
3. Implementation and Payment of Responsibility Allowances to Unit Heads in the Ghana Education Service
TEWU of TUC demands the introduction and immediate payment of responsibility allowances to Unit Heads who perform additional supervisory and administrative duties in the Ghana Education Service. The assertion that such allowances have been consolidated into their basic salaries is false, since the allowances cannot be found in the consolidation.
4. Full Implementation of the Conditions of Service for Our Members in the Ghana Education Service
The Union demands the full and immediate implementation of the Conditions of Service for non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service without further delay. In particular, the annual leave days stipulated in the signed Conditions of Service should not be altered but fully operationalised for the benefit of our members. Any attempt by GES Management to alter the benefits in our Conditions of Service in a manner that worsens our working conditions will be resisted.
5. Urgent Recruitment of Non-Teaching Staff to Augment the Current Overburdened Workforce in the Education Sector
TEWU is calling for substantial recruitment to address the severe shortage of non-teaching personnel across Ghana’s education sector. In recent times, educational institutions in Ghana have been understaffed, thereby overburdening the few staff in these institutions. Our members are overstretched, resulting in stressful working conditions and, in some cases, deaths. The Union demands that the Government provide adequate clearance to all educational institutions to employ more non-teaching staff and save our members from stressful conditions that may lead to untimely deaths.
6. Immediate Implementation of the 5% Operational Allowance for Junior Staff and Payment of All Accrued Arrears from February 2026 to July 2026 (Six Months’ Arrears)
TEWU demands the full implementation of the agreed 5% Operational Allowance for eligible Junior Staff of public/technical universities, staff of the Ghana Library Authority, and Museums and Emolument Board, as contained in the negotiated and signed Conditions of Service. The Union objects to the unilateral change of the implementation date from February 2026 to July 2026 and demands the immediate payment of the accrued six (6) months’ arrears from February 2026 to July 2026 to its members without further delay.
7. Halt the Intended Changes to University Statutes Regarding Representation on University and College of Education Councils
TEWU demands the restoration and protection of its representation on the Governing Councils of universities and colleges of education in accordance with the relevant Acts. The Union has noted with great concern the attempt by some universities, with the endorsement of the Minister of Education, to replace TEWU of TUC representation with “Junior Staff” and “Senior Staff” representation on the various Governing Councils. We, the members of TEWU of TUC, once again appeal to His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to advise the Minister of Education to halt or reverse the change and maintain the existing provisions in the various Acts. We are aware that the Minister of Education acted contrary to His Excellency the President’s directive to stay action on such changes and proceeded with the UDS Act despite that directive. We wish to emphasise that, for the sake of freedom of association, and given that TEWU of TUC is a union comprising Junior Staff, Senior Staff and Senior Members and has long been a recognised trade union, any attempt to limit the membership of the Union to only junior staff will face serious resistance.
8. End Discrimination Against Non-Teaching Staff and Invest in Their Welfare
TEWU demands equal and fair treatment of its members across the education sector. We demand fairness in promotion, remuneration, annual leave, health care, general welfare, professional development and access to opportunities.
By this statement, we are serving two (2) weeks’ notice, effective today, 14th August 2026, on the various stakeholders (the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education, GTEC, university managements, GES Management, etc.) to address our concerns accordingly.
Failure to address the above issues will compel members of TEWU to advise themselves accordingly.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Choiboi
