- CETAG to strike over unpaid allowances.
- Gov't breaks promises on offline data and 2022 compensation.
- Strike starts next week if demands aren't met.
- Dispute centers on unpaid compensation & migration data.
The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) is on the verge of another strike, following a nearly two-month-long industrial action that recently ended. This decision stems from the government’s failure to honor prior agreements regarding their allowances, despite previous assurances. CETAG’s spokesperson, Dominic Owusu, expressed frustration over the situation, highlighting the government’s unfulfilled promises.
CETAG had agreed to call off the previous strike based on a timeline that has yet to be met. The government promised to provide offline data to colleges by the first week of September, allowing members to verify their placement and biodata. However, this data remains unavailable, sparking concerns about its concealment.
Another unfulfilled promise is the all-year-round compensation for work done in 2022, which was supposed to be paid by the end of August. CETAG members have yet to receive this payment, with repeated assurances of its arrival in the GIFMIS account proving disappointing.
The upcoming strike aims to compel meaningful dialogue and achieve a conclusive resolution to CETAG’s demands. Mr. Owusu emphasized that the association will take industrial action if no progress is made by the end of the week.
This development follows a pattern of disputes between teacher unions and the government over unpaid allowances. Recently, three unions – the Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress (TEWU-TUC) – threatened to strike over similar issues.
The government’s delay in issuing authorization letters for payment has been a significant point of contention. Despite agreements and addendums signed with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ministry of Finance has yet to release the necessary funds.
Universities on government subvention have received payments, including arrears, while those directly on the Controller and Accountant General’s payroll remain unpaid. The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission’s instruction to universities not to pay the new rate until the Ministry releases the authorization letter has further exacerbated the issue.
CETAG’s decision to strike highlights the growing frustration among education sector workers. The association is committed to fighting for its members’ rights and will not rest until justice is served.
The strike’s implications could be far-reaching, affecting academic calendars and student progress. A resolution to the dispute requires urgent attention from the government.
