The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has issued a final warning to the government, demanding the full implementation of the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) arbitral award by the end of October 2025—or face a nationwide strike across all 46 Colleges of Education.
In a statement dated October 27, 2025, CETAG expressed deep frustration over what it described as the government’s persistent failure to honour the binding arbitral award issued by the NLC on May 2, 2023. The award was intended to resolve longstanding compensation grievances among tutors in the Colleges of Education.
Unpaid Allowances and Unfulfilled Promises
According to CETAG, the government has yet to pay the 2023/2024 Book and Research Allowance arrears, despite a prior agreement with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) on April 30, 2025.
“These arrears were to be paid alongside the 2024/2025 allowance but have been inexplicably delayed,” the statement said.
CETAG also cited the government’s failure to pay the top-up of the 2022 Book and Research Allowance for staff at Akrokerri College of Education — despite repeated assurances — as “deeply disappointing.”
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Unresolved Labour Issues
Beyond the unpaid allowances, CETAG outlined several outstanding issues still before the NLC, including:
- Compensation for All-Year-Round Work performed by 39 Colleges of Education in 2022.
- The downgrading of experienced staff, which the association says undermines professionalism and morale.
- The non-payment of the 2022/2023 Book and Research Allowance arrears, tied to CETAG’s migration onto the university salary structure.
CETAG emphasized that the NLC’s arbitral award is legally binding and not subject to government discretion, describing the ongoing delays as a “breach of trust and disregard for labour laws.”
Strike Looms
The association has warned that if the government fails to meet its obligations by October 31, 2025, it will “advise itself.”
Specifically, CETAG announced that November 7, 2025, will be treated as an official strike notice should the government fail to act — triggering a nationwide industrial action across all Colleges of Education.
“This industrial action will remain in force until the last pesewa owed to CETAG is paid,” the statement warned.
Appeal to the Government
CETAG urged the government to act swiftly to avert disruptions to the 2025/2026 academic calendar, warning that continued inaction could destabilise teaching and learning in the Colleges of Education.
“We urge the government to act decisively and prioritize the welfare of teacher educators and the broader academic community,” the statement concluded.
The statement was jointly signed by Mr. Maxwell Bunu, National President, and Mr. Fidelis Kamaayi, National Secretary of CETAG.
