Controller blames UG for delay in 2026 Book and Research Allowance payment

The Controller and Accountant-General, Kwasi Agyei, has attributed the delay in paying the 2026 Book and Research Allowance to University of Ghana lecturers to the university's failure to complete the required payment processes on the government's financial system.

Mr Agyei said the funds had already been approved for disbursement, but the University of Ghana (UG) had not captured and validated the necessary details to enable his office to process the payment.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, October 19, he said his office had taken steps to address the issue, including engaging the Ministry of Finance to assist the university in completing the required processes.

He explained that payments to public institutions could only be effected after the institutions had entered and processed the relevant information on the government's financial system, allowing his office to identify them for payment.

According to Mr Agyei, approval for the second batch of payments, which included the University of Ghana, was received on Monday, October 12.

He said he subsequently forwarded the release documents and payment warrant to the relevant officials to facilitate the disbursement.

However, Mr Agyei said he discovered that the University of Ghana had not appeared on the payment system and contacted the leadership of the University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG) on Friday, October 16.

He said the association informed him that the university was experiencing technical difficulties with its system.

Mr Agyei said he subsequently obtained the contact details of the university's finance officer and forwarded them to his team, which engaged the Ministry of Finance for assistance.

He said a team from the ministry visited the university on Monday to help resolve the technical challenge and capture the required payment information.

“… I called him and told him that, as of 11:30 a.m. on Friday, I had not seen the University of Ghana on the system, even though we were paying other institutions, including Gambaga Training College and other colleges across the country, because they had completed the processing.

“He then told me they were experiencing a challenge with their system. I said, 'No problem. Share the contact details of your finance officer with me,' which he did. I sent the details to my team, and they contacted the Ministry of Finance. This morning, a team from the Ministry of Finance went to the University of Ghana to help them capture the payment details on the system.

“So, I'm surprised that this morning they are on radio saying that if the Controller does not pay them, they will go on strike, after all that I have done,” he said.

His comments come as UTAG-UG threatens to withdraw teaching and related services from Monday, October 19, over the delayed payment of the 2026 Book and Research Allowance.

In a notice of intention to embark on industrial action dated October 9, the association cited what it described as persistent delays in the payment of the allowance, which it said breached a 2020 Memorandum of Agreement with the government.

Under the agreement, the allowance is expected to be paid by the end of August each year.

The dispute has increased pressure on the University of Ghana and the relevant government agencies to resolve the outstanding processing issues and prevent a disruption to academic activities.