CETAG defies FWSC directive , urges legal action over strike
The College of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has firmly declared its refusal to comply with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission’s (FWSC) directive to end its ongoing strike. CETAG has instead challenged the FWSC to pursue legal action if it seeks to enforce government compliance with its duties.
On Friday, June 14, 2024, CETAG announced an indefinite work stoppage, accusing the government of delaying the implementation of the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) Arbitral Award Orders and agreed-upon service conditions.
In response, the FWSC demanded that CETAG immediately cease its strike, calling the action a betrayal of trust, especially given the government’s efforts to address their concerns. Benjamin Arthur, CEO of the FWSC, remarked, “The government has shown a spirit of cooperation because we are convinced that it is of mutual benefit, and it will advantage our nation to at least make some concessions for our peers instructing at the colleges of Education. The government’s intentions are sincere. Therefore, we implore them to return to their teaching duties. The strike is founded on mistrust.”
However , CETAG President Prince Obeng-Himah, speaking on a local radio station defended the strike as a legal measure to protect their constitutional rights. “It is a legal action we have taken to protect our economic rights and that is enshrined in the labour act which is under the 1992 constitution. We haven’t erred in any way. The law is on our side. We can tell our people that the law is on our side, they should rally behind leadership. Let’s carry through with the process until such a time that the government complies.”
