Teacher unions in Ghana are expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to meet Tier-2 pension obligations since April 2023, under the administration of NPP’s Akufo-Addo-Bawumia.
Despite consistent deductions managed by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD), recent reports indicate significant arrears owed to these unions, totaling millions of Ghana cedis.
Unfortunately, these funds have yet to be transferred to the Ghana Education Service Occupational Pensions Scheme (GISOPS), leaving teachers’ retirement funds unresolved.
Efforts by the government to secure financial relief through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have negatively impacted Organised Labour. Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta’s indecision has resulted in losses for unions under the Trades Union Congress (TUC), forcing them to participate in the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) and experience setbacks in their investments.
Teachers, as the largest segment of organized labor, are particularly affected by these challenges. Leading the protest, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) boasts approximately 280,000 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.
Complicating matters further is the CAGD’s failure to remit teachers’ deducted dues since November 2023. Despite ongoing grievances, only a single month’s allocation has been disbursed, resulting in a three-month backlog.
These delayed funds not only sustain union operations but also support subsidiary initiatives like the Teachers Fund, which provides financial aid to educators. Consequently, the sluggish loan approval process, which can take up to three months, poses a significant challenge for teachers seeking financial assistance.
Observers attribute the situation to the Akufo-Addo Bawumia government’s failure to fulfill statutory payments, including allocations from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), MP’s Common Fund, and GETFUND. Additionally, delays in distributing laptops under the 1Teacher-1Laptop policy worsen the situation, placing immense pressure on union leaders and elected executives.
In response to the crisis, Charles Kusi of Legal Alliance has been appointed by the unions to engage with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education (MOE), urging prompt action to address the persistent delays.
