Finance Minister Assures UTAG, TUTAG, and CETAG of Swift Release of Research Allowances.

Finance Minister Reassures UTAG, TUTAG, and CETAG of Timely Research Allowance Payment.


Responding to growing concerns over the delayed payment of research allowances, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has given assurances to UTAG, TUTAG, and CETAG members that the funds are available and will be released soon.

The assurance came during a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, between the Minister and the leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG), and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG). The unions had formally requested the meeting to seek clarity on the status of the Book and Research Allowance, a key component of their welfare.

Dr. Forson informed the delegation that the allowance had been fully captured in the 2025 national budget, and that all procedural steps had been initiated to ensure its timely release. He acknowledged the importance of the allowance in supporting research and academic output across the country’s tertiary institutions.

Beyond the immediate concerns over the allowance, the Minister also commended the unions for proposing the establishment of a dedicated Labour Relations Desk within the Ministry of Finance. He described the suggestion as timely and forward-looking, noting that such a desk would improve coordination, foster continuous dialogue, and reduce industrial tensions between the Ministry and organized labour.

In the course of the meeting, Dr. Forson provided updates on payroll reforms currently underway, including a comprehensive audit being conducted by the Auditor-General’s office. Preliminary findings, he noted, have revealed a worrying number of ghost names on the public payroll. The Minister explained that efforts to clean the payroll system could save significant national resources and enhance transparency in public sector payments.

He appealed to the union leaders to support the ongoing audit exercise, stressing that eliminating payroll irregularities is essential not only for fiscal responsibility but also for restoring fairness and credibility in the public wage structure.

The meeting ended with a mutual understanding between the parties and a shared commitment to continued collaboration on matters affecting the welfare of tertiary education staff.



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