By Inusah Alhassan
20th January, 2025
Coalition of Unpaid Teachers, 2023 Cohorts are calling on government through Ghana Education Service to release their staff IDs for them – an identification system recognizing that they are workers under GES.
They also demand immediate payment of their 25 months salary arrears from Government to enable gain a sigh of relief, and lessen their plight.
At press conference in Tamale on Monday, 19th January 2026, the Coalition of unpaid Teachers highlighted the difficulties they went through for the past 2 years in hands of GES with regards to regularization of their appointments but nothing seemed to be practicable after several appeals have not been heeded to by authorities.
They cited the delay in the release of the staff IDs, the ‘ghost’ financial clearance as key factors killing their spirit to walk into the classrooms and teach.
The unpaid teachers also recount how their integrity has come under attack after failing to settle debts of their creditors following the failure of government to pay them their monthly salaries.
Reading the Press to the media, the convenor, Mr. Ali Nathan said: “For nearly two years, the government released Staff IDs in a “consistent trickle” to keep us quiet. This was a weapon used to kill the thought of any protest, making each teacher believe their relief was “just next month” while leaving over 250 of us in financial ruin.
In March 2025, we were summoned to regional centers, including here in Tamale, to submit documents at our own expense. We spent our last borrowed funds only to be told the exercise was “not for us”. This was a soul-crushing mockery of our service.
In October 2025, a “financial clearance” was dangled before us like a ghost. Yet, months later, over 250 of us still have no IDs, no pay, and no future”.
Therefore, they are calling on the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who once was a teacher and whom they believe share their plight to as matter of urgency work around the clock to address their concerns.
“Honorable Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu: Your appointment brought us immense solace. As a leader who has often championed the cause of the worker, we believed you were “one of us” and that our plight would be your priority because we know you were once a teacher. Even though our solace has turned into a nightmare, we believe you will immediately listen to our cry, show empathy and solve our problem”.
