NAGRAT: Finance ministry lied over new arrears payment policy

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has lashed out at the Ministry of Finance for denying government’s policy to pay workers only three months’ salary arrears irrespective of the number of months owed.

NAGRAT has laid down it tools indefinitely protesting against this policy.

However the ministry has come out to describe the said policy as a mere rumour that must be ignored.

The ministry of finance in a statement said: “The attention of the Ministry of Finance has been drawn to rumours currently circulating to the effect that all workers with salary arrears would only be paid three months’ salary arrears irrespective of the number of months owed. The Ministry wishes to assure all affected public service employees that this is not true”.

It further noted: “The policy directive was issued after the Ministry detected several anomalies in the processing of inputs forms of employees at various cost centres, such as unjustifiable backdating of appointment and promotion dates. This directive applied to all Public Sector Employees”.

The finance ministry said claims of all affected employees will be paid after an audit.

But Greater Accra Regional Chairman of NAGRAT, Rene Senyo Wamikorkor, told XYZ NEWS the association received a letter from the ministry to that effect.

He wondered why the ministry will now claim there was no indication of withholding part of their incremental credit arrears.

Meanwhile Mr. Wamikorkor has refuted claims by the National Labour Commission suggesting that NAGRAT does not operate under section 159 of Act 651when laying down their tools. The National labour commission says NAGRAT must properly serve letters to the effect that its members will embark on strike.