Western Region teacher unions extend strike over unpaid allowances and delayed promotions

The three main pre‑tertiary teacher unions in Ghana’s Western Region – GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG – have restated their commitment to strike action on June 19, 2024 and ordered members to stay out of classrooms until authorities resolve long‑standing grievances. Their demands include immediate payment of outstanding allowances, back‑dating of salary scales for teachers promoted after the December 2025 and February 2026 examinations, and the implementation of the deprived‑area allowance as stipulated in a prior agreement. The unions contend that a new collective agreement, originally due by June 2026, remains unsettled and that the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service have failed to review the required Deprived Area Report, leaving the promised benefits unaddressed. Despite the directive, a few teachers have entered schools and resumed teaching, prompting outrage among striking members who view such actions as undermining the collective effort to press for fair treatment. The industrial dispute highlights growing frustration across Ghana’s education sector, where delayed promotions and unpaid allowances have eroded morale and sparked widespread protests in recent months. The unions have warned that any resurgence of strike‑related activities in schools will be met with further pressure, as they seek a definitive resolution before the academic year’s end. Government officials have been contacted for comment but have not yet issued a public response to the renewed demands.