Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South and member of Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr Kingsley Agyemang, has called on the government to prioritize payments owed to striking teachers. The teachers, who are members of pre-tertiary teacher unions, have been on an indefinite strike over outstanding concerns including promotion-related payments, the Collective Agreement, and the Deprived Area Allowance. Dr Agyemang made the comments on Joy FM's Top Story on Monday, September 28.
Dr Agyemang argued that teachers deserve to be paid what is due to them and that the government must demonstrate the financial capacity it has repeatedly claimed to have built. He questioned why teachers should remain at home while the government commits substantial resources to other projects, specifically referencing the proposed GH¢2 billion Accra–Kumasi Expressway project. According to him, the funds allocated for the expressway project could be used to address the concerns of striking teachers.
The government has reportedly allocated GH¢2 billion for the Accra–Kumasi Expressway project, which has sparked concerns among teacher unions who feel that their outstanding payments should be prioritized. Dr Agyemang emphasized that the teachers are not asking for much and that the government should consider using the funds allocated for the expressway project to settle the outstanding obligations to teachers.
Dr Agyemang also called on the government to be transparent with teachers if financial constraints are preventing it from meeting its obligations. He stated that repeated assurances from the government have contributed to a loss of trust among the teachers, who feel that the government has deceived them several times. According to him, the government should be honest with the teachers about its financial situation.
The dispute between the government and teacher unions goes beyond the Education Ministry, as the ministry can engage the unions but does not control the government’s purse. Dr Agyemang argued that the person responsible for managing the government’s finances should be willing to make the necessary resources available to settle the outstanding obligations to teachers.
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is scheduled to meet with teacher unions on October 6 to discuss the ongoing strike. Meanwhile, the Controller and Accountant General's Department (CAGD) has explained the delay in teachers’ promotion arrears, stating that 6,079 cases have already been paid. However, the teacher unions remain committed to their strike action until their demands are met.
The government has announced plans to recruit 10,000 teachers next year to address staffing gaps in the education sector. However, this move has not appeased the striking teachers, who are demanding the payment of unpaid four-year legacy arrears and the implementation of the Collective Agreement. The government has promised to honour teachers’ promotion pay deals, but the teacher unions remain skeptical.
Key points
- Dr Kingsley Agyemang urges government to prioritize payments owed to teachers over proposed GH¢2 billion Accra–Kumasi Expressway project
- Teacher unions have been on an indefinite strike over outstanding concerns including promotion-related payments, the Collective Agreement, and the Deprived Area Allowance
- The government has reportedly allocated GH¢2 billion for the Accra–Kumasi Expressway project, sparking concerns among teacher unions
