CAGD: GES and Teacher Unions Authorized the deduction for the TM1 Laptops

The Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) has issued a press release in attempt to clarify the reason for the deduction of the thirty percent (30%) cost for teachers and the Ghc100.00 for the teacher Licensing Fee.

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A publication which was circulating on the various social media platforms with the headline “Sad News for GH Teachers as Controller deducts GHc1,194.93 from their November Salary” drew the attention of CAGD to clarify the issue at habd with the facts.

CAGD in the press statement mentioned that its core mandate is to process the Government of Ghana Payroll on behalf of the MDAs/MMDAs.

In addition to that, all Third-Party deductions effected by CAGD are agreements between the institutions and their employees or clients hence CAGD cannot do any deductions without this agreement.

The letter reiterated that the Ghana Education Service (GES) officially wrote to request for the deduction of the thirty percent (30%) of the cost of the laptops supplied to teachers under the’1T1L’ initiative amounting to Ghc509.55.

According to CAGD, GES also officially wrote to request for the deduction of Ghc100.00 as Teacher Licensing Fee.

CAGD stated that they only effected these deductions per the letter received as a result of agreements between GES and the various Teacher Unions.

Controller and Accountant-General emphatically mentioned that it will NOT unilaterally make deductions from salaries of employees without the necessary authorization.

Deduction of Teachers Licensing Fee and 30% Laptop Cost

Teachers were to pay an amount of Ghc200.00 to NTC as License Fee. However, it was agreed that teachers were to pay Ghc100.00 from their Continuous Professional Development Allowance in November 2020 as part payment of Licensing Fee in which the government will to pay the other Ghc100.00.

This agreement seems to have been nullified as teachers have been deducted the additional Ghc100.00 which means that government has not payed the quota it was supposed to pay.

In relation to the TM1 Laptop deduction, it also appears the injunction placed on the deduction of the 30% component by Innovative Teachers Union and ATAG was not adhered to as teachers saw the deduction of Ghc509.55 being deducted from their salaries during the validation process.