CETAG Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Compensation
A looming crisis is threatening the stability of Ghana's Colleges of Education, as teachers' demands for fair compensation and staff migration remain unaddressed. The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has expressed frustration over the government's failure to implement the National Labour Commission's arbitral awards, which stipulated staff migration and year-round work compensation.
The association's concerns are compounded by the fact that only four out of 46 colleges have received their year-round compensation, leaving many teachers without the payments owed to them. CETAG has accused the government of deliberately withholding their rightful arbitration awards without justification.
In a stern warning, CETAG National President Maxwell Bunu stated that members are prepared to boycott lectures starting January 13, 2025, if their demands are not met.
In an interciew with Citi News, he called for urgent action to address the delays and ensure that teachers are fairly compensated.
“We want to assure the outgoing and the incoming governments that until this is done, no college lecturer will step his or her feet into the classroom to teach come January 13, 2025. So the two governments should collaborate and get this done for the college teacher”.
“All members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) are earnestly appealing to the outgoing government, in particular, to take steps to migrate all staff to the university salary structure as we have all agreed at several meetings.
“We are also asking them to pay the all-year-round work compensation that we deserve for the work that we did in the year 2022”, he added.
The dispute has its roots in a prolonged strike that lasted from June 14 to August 19, 2024, which centered on demands for one month's salary as compensation for additional duties performed in 2022. The association also sought the migration of Colleges of Education teachers onto their affiliate university payrolls by October 30, 2024.
As the standoff continues, Ghana's Colleges of Education face an uncertain future, with the possibility of disrupted academic activities looming large. The outgoing government has been urged to take immediate action to address the teachers' demands before December 20, 2024.
Source: Florence Kyei / Lead News Online
