The Finance Ministry has pledged to address long-standing salary arrears owed to newly recruited teachers by including the payments in the 2026 national budget, following protests by affected educators.
Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem made the commitment on Tuesday after receiving a formal petition from a coalition of unpaid teachers who say they have not received salaries for 13 months. The teachers, who marched to the Finance Ministry in Accra, are demanding urgent government action to rectify what they describe as a severe financial injustice.
“I was a teacher myself, and I understand your frustration,” Mr. Ampem told the group. “The Finance Minister [Dr. Ato Forson] has been fully briefed and has received clearance from President John Dramani Mahama to resolve this issue.”
Mr. Ampem said the 2026 budget, which is expected to be presented to Parliament in October, will include a line item to cover the unpaid salaries. “You should be happy your problem will be fixed,” he added. “You will be paid.”
Despite the assurance, many of the protesting teachers expressed disappointment, arguing that the delayed resolution fails to reflect the urgency of their situation. Some criticized the absence of the Finance Minister himself, interpreting it as a sign of disregard.
“This is inhumane,” said one protester. “We’re not ready to wait for the 2026 budget. I’m disappointed the Finance Minister didn’t come himself—it feels like we’re not worth his attention.”
The teachers’ frustration underscores growing tensions in Ghana’s public sector, where delayed wage payments and bureaucratic bottlenecks have fueled unrest across various civil service groups. The Finance Ministry has not provided a timeline for when payments would begin if budget approval is secured.
