Teacher Unions Slam Gov’t Agencies Over Failure to Pay Agreed Allowances

Three major teacher unions — the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Education Teachers Union of Ghana (PRETAG) — have sharply criticised government agencies for failing to honour contractually agreed allowances scheduled for payment in November 2025.

Their anger follows a press release from the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) announcing that two key allowances could not be processed due to a late-stage technical issue during the November payroll run.

Allowances Were Legally Guaranteed — Unions

According to the unions, the affected allowances —

Continuous Professional Development Allowance (CPDA) and

Continuous Development Incentive Support Allowance (CDISA) —
are explicitly guaranteed under the 2024 Collective Agreement and were due for payment this month.

They argue that the CAGD’s notice contradicts binding commitments negotiated between the government and teacher representatives.

Strong Rebuke to Five State Institutions

In a strongly worded joint statement issued Wednesday, November 26, the unions expressed their “strongest displeasure” with:

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Finance

Ghana Education Service (GES)

Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC)

Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD)

They accused these institutions of reneging on freely entered agreements and warned that such actions erode trust, lower morale, and destabilise the education sector.

Call for Immediate Intervention

The unions called on the Minister for Education to urgently intervene and ensure the allowances are paid exactly as outlined in the collective agreement.

They stressed that the agreement is legally binding, and any unilateral attempt to delay or alter its terms without consultation is unacceptable.

Possible Labour Unrest If Issue Lingers

Signalling growing impatience, the unions cautioned that the situation must be addressed swiftly to avoid disruptions on the labour front.

“We hope that these issues will be promptly addressed, so as not to disturb the labour front,” the statement warned — a hint at potential industrial action if government agencies fail to act.