Accra, March 29, GNA - All personnel within the Ghana

Education Service (GES) who qualify for the 15 per cent

Retention Premium agreed with the government earlier this

month will enjoy it alongside their March salaries to be paid in

the first week of April.

"The Government is pleased to announce that the

negotiating team has completed work on the teachers' salaries

and the anomalies that characterised GES under the Single

Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) have been rectified," an official

statement signed by Mr Baba Jamal Ahmed, Deputy Minister

of Information said. It added that no personnel within the GES had as yet

received his or her March salary, contrary to reports that

teachers had been paid their March salaries without the 15 per

cent Retention Premium.

The negotiating team comprises the Ministers of

Employment and Social Welfare; Education and Finance and

Economic Planning, the Fair wages and salaries Commission

(FWSC), the GES and the Controller and Accountant-

General's Department (CAGD). The negotiating team said a technical committee made up of

the FWSC, GES, teacher unions within the GES, namely the

Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and National

Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and CAGD

tasked with the responsibility of correcting the anomalies had

checked and cross-checked to rectify the anomalies. "Considering the volume of work involved in rectifying the

errors identified, payment of salaries to GES staff has delayed

by a week. This is to ensure a clean payroll database for March

2011 salaries, devoid of any discrepancies." The technical committee noted that the anomalies came

about as a result of wrong grade and pay point placements in

the SSSS. "Government would like to assure all affected staff of the

GES in particular and the Ghanaian public in general that it

would keep all agreed terms by the negotiating team and is

committed to teachers' welfare."

The government extended its appreciation to all personnel

within the GES and the general public for their patience and

understanding in resolving the matter.