The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has denied reports attributing comments to its Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham, that teachers participating in an illegal strike would have their salaries deducted for every day they remain away from work.
In a statement, the Commission said Dr Smith-Graham did not make the comments attributed to him and urged the public and media to disregard the reports and any conclusions drawn from them.
The clarification comes amid the ongoing nationwide strike by three pre-tertiary teacher unions over outstanding issues relating to their collective agreement and conditions of service.
The FWSC said its current engagement with the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) remains focused on dialogue and negotiations to address the concerns raised by the unions.
FWSC engages teacher unions
The Commission on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, engaged the leadership of the three teacher unions as part of efforts to resolve the outstanding issues.
The meeting, chaired by Dr Smith-Graham, was attended by GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba, PRETAG President King Awudu Ali and other union leaders.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the FWSC and the unions to discuss the outstanding issues and demands presented by the teachers.
Speaking after the meeting, Dr Smith-Graham said the discussions would be reconvened at a later date to allow the Commission to undertake further consultations on the demands and engage relevant stakeholders before negotiations resume.
He also commended the union leaders for the peaceful manner in which the meeting was conducted.
The engagement forms part of the formal process initiated by government to address the concerns of the three unions following the commencement of their nationwide strike on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The FWSC’s involvement followed an emergency meeting convened by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu with the teacher unions on September 28, after the strike began. The Minister subsequently indicated that the FWSC would lead the next phase of formal negotiations on behalf of government.
The Commission said it remains committed to constructive engagement with the unions and other stakeholders to find a mutually acceptable and sustainable resolution to the outstanding issues.
It further urged the public and media to rely on verified information from the Commission and other appropriate authorities for updates on the negotiations.
