“We’ll advise ourselves by Dec 20 if….” – CETAG to gov’t

The leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has issued a stern warning, stating that it will take further action if the government does not fully implement the compulsory arbitration awards and ensure the associated payments are reflected in their accounts by December 20, 2024.

According to CETAG, the National Labour Commission (NLC) had issued an order on May 2, 2023, mandating the government to honor these obligations. However, despite multiple strikes and protests to push for the fulfillment of these demands, CETAG claims the government has continued to treat its members with deception.

Recalling the longest strike in the history of the association, which lasted from June 14 to August 19, 2024, CETAG emphasized that the strike was called off only after the government made promises to address the issues at hand. However, CETAG states that no meaningful progress has been made since the October 30, 2024 deadline passed, leaving their members in a state of uncertainty.

In a statement released by the association, CETAG made it clear that if the December 20, 2024 deadline passes without the payments being made, no amount of negotiation or intervention will compel them to reverse their decision.

The statement also addressed the issue of the All-Year-Round Compensation (AYRC), which, according to the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), was supposed to be paid by August 31, 2024. As of December 16, 2024, only 4 out of the 46 Colleges have received their full payments. CETAG described this situation as a “deliberate attempt” by the employer to deny teachers the compensation that is rightfully due to them.

CETAG has urged the government to act swiftly and honor the arbitration awards to avoid any further disruptions. The association’s members remain firm in their demand for fair treatment and respect for the agreements made.