GNAT descends on OSP for ‘blocking’ salaries of 404 teachers

Thomas Musah, the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has warned that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) will be held accountable for any actions taken by teacher unions from next week if the salaries of some 404 teachers are not released by today, Friday, February 16, 2024.

GNAT, NAGRAT, and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, on February 14, gave the OSP a 72-hour ultimatum to release the salaries of the teachers or face their wrath.

The OSP is said to be withholding the salaries of 1310 teachers.

While the salaries of 906 teachers have been released, 404 are yet to receive their pay.

The Office is investigating the presence of ghost names on the government’s payroll.

In an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Thursday, Mr. Musah argued that the OSP had no authority to withhold the salaries of teachers.

He further stated that if the remaining salaries are not released, the resulting action will be the responsibility of the OSP.

“By the close of Friday, we are reminding the OSP to do the needful by instructing the four banks to release the monies belonging to the teachers. If the OSP sees that any teacher has done anything wrong, they should go and deal with the Agency head. That is the Director-General. But the OSP has no business going to the bank to say that they should not be paid. There is no law that gives the OSP that particular right, and we will not take it kindly from Monday.”

“From next week, whatever happens, the OSP should be blamed, and they should trust us. We shall rise to the occasion and deliver…By the close of tomorrow if these monies are not paid, whatever happens from next week, the OSP should take full responsibility,” he stated.