GNAT, NAGRAT, PRETAG Threaten Showdown With Controller & Accountant General Over Salary Delays

Story By: Deborah Adorsu

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and two other major teacher unions have declared a nationwide strike and threatened a showdown with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) over persistent salary delays and failure to place promoted teachers on their rightful scales.

GNAT, together with the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Union of Ghana (PRETAG), announced the industrial action effective Friday, September 25, 2026.

In a joint statement, the unions cited three major grievances:Stalled Collective Agreement: Negotiations for a new Collective Agreement have stalled despite the expiration of the old one.

The unions said talks that should have been concluded by June 2026 have not been held by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).Promotion Arrears: Two cohorts of teachers who passed aptitude tests in December 2025 and February 2026 are yet to be placed on their respective salary scales, with arrears dating from January 2026.

The unions put the figure at about 58,620 teachers.Deprived Area Allowance: Failure to implement the 20% Deprived Area Allowance as provided under Section 17(2) of the 2024 Collective Agreement.

The unions accused the CAGD of delaying the placement despite an agreement reached at a meeting chaired by the Education Minister on August 31, 2026.

However, the Controller and Accountant General’s Department has pushed back.

In a statement dated September 27, 2026, signed by Head of Public Relations, Mr. Cephas N. Dosoo, the CAGD said it has processed and paid all 6,079 cases submitted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) as of September 22, with September 2026 salaries including arrears from January 1, 2026.

CAGD insists the remaining over 52,000 cases are pending because GES is yet to submit the required promotion letters and duly completed input forms needed for validation to prevent fictitious promotions.

The MP for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has blamed the CAGD for the impasse, saying the matter is “completely avoidable”.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry says it will continue engaging stakeholders as teaching and learning across public pre-tertiary schools remain disrupted.