Pay Our Tier-2 Pension By February Or Face Our Wrath – Teachers Unions Caution Gov’t

Four teacher unions are up in arms against the government for failing to pay contributions to the Ghana Education Service (GES) Occupational Pension Scheme (Tier 2).

The unions include the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers and the Tertiary Educational Workers Union (TEWU).

According to the unions, although government deducts these contributions every month from their salaries, it is in arrears of over GH¢400 million as the last payment was made in March 2022.

The Unions said although government deducts these contributions every month from their salaries, it is in arrears of over GH¢400 million as payment has not been made since the last payment in March 2022.

Speaking on behalf of three other teacher unions, the National President of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers King Ali Awudu said it will stop paying its contributions to the National Pensions Regulatory Authority if the government does not do the needful.

“The money is not for the government, it’s 5% taken from our salaries and the government has failed to pay the money to the Ghana Education Service Occupational Pension Scheme for the money to be invested to yield returns. What we are saying is that what the government is doing is a cheat, and it is an affront to our future pensions. The total amount involved is over GH¢433 million, and we are giving the ultimatum of February 2023, that if by the end of February, the money is not paid, we are going to stop paying the 5% to the National Pensions Regulatory Authority.”