The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has attributed the ongoing nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teachers partly to inadequate communication and engagement between government and organised labour. Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Morning Show in Accra-Tema on Thursday, October 1, 2026, Mr Koomson said the industrial action could have been prevented, or its impact reduced, if government had maintained regular communication with teacher union leaders.
According to Mr Koomson, effective communication was particularly important whenever government faced financial or administrative difficulties that could affect the implementation of agreements reached with workers. He said his experience with successive governments had shown that maintaining open communication channels with organised labour could help prevent misunderstandings and build trust between the two sides.
Recalling the administration of former President Jerry John Rawlings, Mr Koomson said communication arrangements were established to ensure that information about government policies and challenges reached labour leaders, who could then explain the issues to their members. He said although workers might still disagree with government decisions, timely information could help them understand the circumstances surrounding those decisions and make informed choices about how to respond.
The comments come amid an ongoing nationwide strike by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), which began on September 25, 2026. The unions are demanding action on promotion-related arrears, placement of promoted teachers on appropriate salary scales, the implementation of the deprived-area allowance and negotiations towards a new collective agreement.
Mr Koomson warned that keeping union leaders in the dark could create mistrust between union executives and their members, particularly when leaders were unable to provide clear explanations about negotiations with government. He stressed that union leaders required timely and accurate information to communicate effectively with workers.
Mr Koomson also called for stronger engagement between the ministry responsible for employment and organised labour, arguing that labour relations required continuous attention and should not be addressed only when disputes had already escalated. He suggested that effective leadership at the Employment Ministry, including adequate support for the substantive minister, could help ensure that labour issues received continuous attention.
Mr Koomson urged government to strengthen its relationship with organised labour and ensure that union leaders were adequately involved in discussions affecting their members. He said sustained communication, transparency and regular engagement could help build trust, manage expectations and reduce the likelihood of disagreements developing into prolonged industrial disputes.
Key points
- The Ghana Federation of Labour Secretary-General, Abraham Koomson, attributes the ongoing nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teachers to poor communication between government and organised labour.
- The strike, which began on September 25, 2026, involves GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG, and is over issues including promotion-related arrears and the implementation of the deprived-area allowance.
- Koomson is calling for stronger engagement between the Employment Ministry and organised labour to prevent future disputes.
