GNAT condemns OSP for ‘blocking’ salaries of 404 teachers

The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr. Thomas Musah, has warned that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) will be held accountable for any actions taken by teacher unions beginning next week if the salaries of some 404 teachers are not released by today, Friday, February 16, 2024.

“From next week, whatever happens, the OSP should be blamed, and they should trust us. We shall rise to the occasion and deliver… By the close of tomorrow [Friday, February 16, 2024], if these monies are not paid, whatever happens next week, the OSP should take full responsibility,” Mr. Musah said on Citi FM on Thursday.

The OSP has begun investigations into the presence of ghost names on the government payroll. As part of the process, the OSP is believed to be withholding the salaries of 1310 teachers. Out of this number, 906 teachers’ salaries have been revealed, while 404 are yet to get theirs.

Mr. Musah urged the OSP to release the salaries of the 404 teachers and deal with the Director-General to resolve any issue regarding the payroll audit. 

GNAT, NAGRAT, and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, on February 14, gave the OSP a 72-hour ultimatum to release the salaries of the teachers or face their wrath.

“By the close of Friday, we are reminding the OSP to do the needful by instructing the four banks to release the monies belonging to the teachers. If the OSP sees that any teacher has done anything wrong, they should go and deal with the agency head. That is the Director-General. But the OSP has no business going to the bank to say that they should not be paid. There is no law that gives the OSP that particular right, and we will not take it kindly from Monday,” he said.