The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has dismissed a media report that attributed to its Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham, a warning that striking teachers would lose a day’s pay for every day they stay away from work, insisting he made no such remarks.
Addressing the matter, the Commission said the purported comments do not reflect any position it has taken on the ongoing strike by the three pre-tertiary teacher unions. It appealed to the public and the media to disregard them and stressed that its work with the unions remains focused on dialogue and negotiations over outstanding issues relating to their collective agreement and conditions of service.
The FWSC said it took note of a report that linked Dr Smith-Graham to a statement on the payment of salaries to workers who embark on an illegal strike. According to that report, such workers would have their pay deducted for each day they remain away from the job.
The Commission acknowledged that the story had stirred public interest and could leave the impression that it had adopted a hardline stance on the strike, which began nationwide on Monday, September 25, 2026.
“Our Chief Executive did not make the comments attributed to him in the said media report.”
Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham
Negotiations With Union Leaders
The FWSC respectfully urged the public and the media to set aside both the purported remarks and any conclusions drawn from them. It said they neither come from a statement made by the Chief Executive nor represent a position adopted by the Commission on the teachers’ action.
The Commission placed the denial against the backdrop of its engagement with the unions, which it said is aimed at settling the issues behind the strike rather than punishing those taking part. On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the FWSC met the leadership of the three pre-tertiary teacher unions for negotiations. Dr Smith-Graham chaired the session.
Those present included the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, and the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Jacob Anaba.
The President of the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), King Awudu Ali, also attended, along with other leaders of the three unions. The meeting gave both sides a chance to go through the unions’ demands and the outstanding matters on the table.
Speaking afterwards, Dr Smith-Graham said the talks would resume at a later date. The Commission needs time for further consultations on the demands the unions presented, he said, and to engage the relevant stakeholders before negotiations pick up again. He also commended union leaders for the peaceful and orderly way the meeting was conducted.
The Commission described its current posture in clear terms.
“Its current engagement with the three pre-tertiary teacher unions is focused on dialogue and negotiations.”
Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham
The FWSC’s role is part of a formal process government set in motion after the teachers withdrew their services. The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, convened an emergency meeting with the leadership of the three unions on September 28, 2026, the day the strike started.
The Minister subsequently indicated that the FWSC would lead the next phase of formal negotiations on government’s behalf.
The October 6 meeting was therefore the first formal round of talks led by the Commission since it took charge of that phase. It was also the first time the Commission had sat across the table from all three unions at once since the strike began.
The statement did not say when the next round would take place, and it did not set out the specific demands the unions presented.
Appeal for Verified Information
Beyond the denial, the FWSC used its statement to ask the public, the media and all stakeholders to rely on information from the Commission and other appropriate authorities when following developments.
The appeal speaks to a wider risk in labour disputes of this kind. A strike affecting basic and secondary schools touches families, pupils and communities across the country. In such a climate, an unverified claim about pay deductions can harden positions and make it harder for negotiators to find common ground.
The Commission acknowledged the weight of the unions’ concerns and reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement with them and other relevant stakeholders. It said it is seeking a resolution that is both mutually acceptable and sustainable.
“Continued dialogue and good-faith negotiations remain critical to resolving the issues.”
Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham
Fair Wages and Salaries Commission
It added that it remains committed to promoting fair, transparent and sustainable compensation arrangements, while fostering harmonious industrial relations in Ghana’s public service.
For now, the strike continues while the FWSC consults on the unions’ demands ahead of the next round of negotiations. Parents, pupils and teachers are likely to be watching closely for a date for the talks to resume.
Meanwhile, the Commission’s message to the public is plain: it says it has not announced salary deductions, and anyone seeking its position on the dispute should look to its own statements and those of other appropriate authorities.
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