Teachers’ unions nationwide, are growing increasingly agitated with the Akufo-Addo Bwumia-led government due to its failure to fulfill Tier-2 pension contributions dating back to April 2023.
The outstanding amounts owed to these unions, reportedly reach into millions of Ghana cedis.
Despite deductions being made by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD), The Herald’s sources within the education sector, reveal that these funds have not been transferred to the Ghana Education Service Occupational Pensions Scheme (GISOPS).
The government’s decision to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has led to financial repercussions for Organised Labour, with Former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta’s indecisiveness causing unions under the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to incur losses in investments and participate in the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
Teachers, being the largest workforce within organised labor, bear the brunt of these consequences.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) leads with approximately 280,000 unionized members, followed by the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) with 70,000 members and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-Ghana) with over 15,000 members.
Compounding the tension is the CAGD’s failure to remit teachers’ dues deducted from their salaries since November 2023.
Despite ongoing complaints, only a month’s allocation has been released, leaving a three-month backlog.
The Herald’s sources express concern that these funds not only sustain union operations, but also serve as capital for subsidiaries like the Teachers Fund, which provides financial support to teachers. Consequently, delays in loan approvals, taking up to three months, have become a significant issue for teachers seeking financial assistance.
Analysts highlight the Akufo-Addo Bawumia Government’s apparent failure to honor statutory payments, including allocations from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), MP’s Common Fund, and GETFUND.
The situation is exacerbated by delays in distributing laptops under the 1Teacher-1Laptop policy, intensifying pressure on union leaders and elected executives.
In response to the crisis, Charles Kusi of Legal Alliance, has been tasked by the unions to correspond with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education (MOE), urging prompt action to address the delays.
