March 31 promise for teachers pay fails; new date set

Education Minister Betty Mould Iddrisu

Teachers on government payroll will have to find a way to survive this weekend until they are paid, hopefully sometime next week.

This is because their salaries failed to hit their accounts despite a promise by the Education Minister Betty Mould-Iddrisu when she spoke to Joy News last Tuesday.

She had emphasized that her discussions with the relevant ministries and agencies had indicated teachers will be paid their salaries including the 15 per cent retention allowance, by March 31.

But that has turned out not to be the case.
The Vice President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers, Angel Karbonu told Joy News Friday he had not received his March salary.

He noted that contrary to the Minister's position, “The agreement we had was that the committee will complete their work by March 31 yesterday, and then Monday the money will be sent to the bank, so by Tuesday or Wednesday the payment will be done.”

Mr Karbonu explained the addition of the retention allowance accounted for the delay.

Fair Wages Chief Executive, George Smith-Graham had however indicated earlier that the teachers' salaries could only be paid after corrections to disparities had been completed.