"Show us evidence" —Upper West teacher unions demand proof of payment before ending strike

Teacher unions in the Upper West Region say their members will not return to the classroom until the government provides verifiable proof that outstanding payments and agreed measures have been implemented.

Speaking at a joint press engagement in Wa on October 1, the leadership of the region's three teacher unions declared their support for the ongoing nationwide strike. They said assurances that payments are "being processed" are no longer enough.

"If the employer says teachers have been paid, show us the evidence. If promoted teachers have been placed on their current salary scales, show us the evidence," the unions said.

Three key demands
The regional secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Ranford Owusu Adjei, outlined the unions' three main demands:

• renewal of the expired collective agreement and conditions of service;
• payment of salary arrears and proper placement of promoted teachers; and
• implementation of the 20 per cent deprived-area allowance.

On promotions, the unions argued that a promotion without the matching pay is incomplete. Teachers who take on greater responsibilities, they said, must be placed on the right salary scales and paid all arrears owed to them.

A decade-long wait
The unions pressed hardest on the deprived-area allowance, which they said has been part of their collective agreement since 2016. Teachers in deprived communities, they noted, have worked under difficult conditions for years while waiting for an allowance that was already agreed.

"Ten years is too long to wait for an agreed allowance," the unions said, urging the government to move from commitments to payment.

They also called for negotiations on a new collective agreement to begin immediately and be concluded quickly, saying teachers need conditions of service that reflect the current demands of the profession.

United behind national leadership
The Upper West leadership said its members would stand firmly behind the national leadership until there is clear progress. While reaffirming their commitment to dialogue and a peaceful resolution, the unions insisted that talks must deliver tangible results.

Their position, they said, is simple: no return to the classroom without concrete, credible and verifiable evidence of implementation.