TEACHER UNIONS DECLARE NATIONWIDE STRIKE

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Union of Ghana (PRETAG) have announced a nationwide strike effective immediately, citing delays in government action to resolve critical issues affecting their members. According to the unions, the strike is in response to several unresolved problems, including the failure to finalize a new collective agreement, the non-payment of the deprived area allowance, and the non-implementation of automatic salary placements for newly promoted teachers.

The collective agreement, which expired in June 2026, had been under negotiation without any progress since then. Despite raising their concerns to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the unions claim that the issue remains unresolved. Furthermore, they highlight the non-payment of the deprived area allowance, which they argue was specified in the 2024 Collective Agreement.

This section of the agreement mandated a review of the deprived area report before any negotiations could take place with the FWSC. Additionally, the unions point to a 2024 ruling by the National Labour Commission (NLC) and a directive from President John Dramani Mahama that stipulated a 20% allowance for teachers working in deprived or hard-to-reach areas.