Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance
The Ministry of Finance has released an amount of GH¢14,172,313,23 to the Ministry of Education to pay outstanding transfer grants and allowances to teachers employed between 2013 and 2016.
In a letter dated January 3, 2018, Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance stated that “you are hereby authorized to release the sum of GH¢14,172,313.23 (Fourteen million, One Hundred and Seventy-Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirteen Ghana Cedi, Twenty-Three Pesewas) to the Minister of Education to enable him to make payment of outstanding Transfer Grants and other allowances to the staff of the Ghana Education Service for the period January 2013 to December 2016.”
The problems related to validation and arrears have bedeviled the educational sector for several years, and this has led to several agitations against previous governments.
The release of the funds follows the announcement made by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at the 5th Quadrennial and 52nd National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) at Cape Coast on last Thursday.
The Vice President, speaking on the theme: “Transforming Societies through education: invest more, invest equitably” at the event, announced that the Finance Ministry had released funds to settle salary arrears of validated teachers inherited from the previous government.
“I have good news for you. The Minister of Finance has released funds for the arrears of teachers validated between January 2013 and December 2016. All those validated between this period will be receiving their arrears soon, while we work on the others as speedily as possible,” he said at the event.
The Vice President further indicated that government’s greatest desire is to see the development of the educational sector.
Dr. Bawumia pointed out that the government is investing massively in all sectors of education to improve infrastructure and content to produce the caliber of graduates to support the country’s development.
He mentioned that government has earmarked GHC1 billion in the 2018 Budget to support the free Senior Secondary School (SHS) programme, adding that government is committed in ensuring that every child of school-going age is able to access education at all levels to succeed in life.
The Vice President said that the government would do everything possible to improve the lives of teachers to ensure quality delivery.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema