Aggrieved teachers from across Ghana have taken to the streets in protest over months of unpaid salaries, marching to the Jubilee House and the Ministry of Finance Ghana to present a petition to government authorities.
The demonstrators, largely made up of newly posted teachers from various colleges of education and universities, say the prolonged delay in receiving their salaries has plunged them into severe financial hardship. Many claim they have been working for months without pay, struggling to meet basic needs such as rent, transportation, and daily upkeep.
Speaking to the media, the Convener of the Coalition of Unpaid Newly Posted Teachers, Enock Attivor, voiced frustration over the situation. He urged government to either immediately settle all outstanding salary arrears or provide a clear, reliable timeline for payment.
According to him, the situation has left many young teachers disillusioned despite their commitment to service. “We are working, yet we are not being paid. This is not sustainable,” he stressed.
In response, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem acknowledged the challenges and outlined measures being implemented to address the issue. He explained that some affected teachers could not be placed on the government payroll due to expired financial clearance, but steps have been taken to resolve arrears accumulated before that period.
He revealed that a structured payment plan has been approved, with payments expected to begin in May 2026. Under the arrangement, teachers will receive four months of arrears in May, followed by another four months in June, and a further four months in July until all outstanding salaries are cleared.
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The Deputy Minister also noted that a similar intervention had already been rolled out in the health sector earlier in the year, with arrears payments scheduled in installments beginning in April.
Addressing concerns about teachers yet to be placed on the payroll, Mr. Ampem described the situation as “unfortunate” and assured that investigations would be carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. He disclosed that financial clearance had been granted following Cabinet directives to facilitate recruitment and salary payments.
However, discrepancies in the reported number of affected teachers ranging between 162 and 400 remain a concern for authorities.
Mr. Ampem further emphasized that the Ministry operates an open-door policy, suggesting that the protest might have been avoided if teacher representatives had engaged directly with officials for clarification.
He assured that priority would be given to teachers not yet on the payroll to ensure they begin receiving salaries, after which discussions on settling their arrears would follow.
The protest underscores growing frustration among newly recruited public sector workers over delayed remuneration, as affected teachers continue to demand urgent and decisive action from government.
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