The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has clarified the payroll validation process for promotions and upgrades of teachers following concerns raised by teacher unions over alleged delays in placing promoted teachers on their appropriate salary scales.
In a press release dated 27 September 2026, the Department said it had taken note of recent statements from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers’ Association of Ghana (PRETAG).
CAGD acknowledged the concerns raised by the unions and affected teachers. It assured the public, particularly teachers and all stakeholders in the education sector, that it remains committed to the timely and accurate payment of salaries and allowances due to public sector workers, in accordance with approved procedures and applicable payroll controls.
The Department explained that the Government of Ghana’s payroll system operates through two main platforms: the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS), managed by the employer or management unit such as the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Database 2 (IPPD2), managed by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.
Under the established business process for promotions and upgrades, the employer is responsible for initiating and effecting promotions in the HRMIS. After doing so, the employer must submit the necessary documentation to CAGD for validation and payroll processing.
The required documents include a promotion or change-of-grade input form, duly completed and signed by an authorised preparer and an approver, with their specimen signatures submitted to CAGD, and a copy of the promotion or upgrading letter issued to the affected employee.
CAGD emphasised that these documents are not mere administrative formalities. They are essential for payroll validation and are designed to prevent fictitious promotions, unauthorised salary adjustments and irregular payments. The process serves as an important safeguard that protects the public purse while ensuring legitimate employees receive what is due them.
At a meeting held on 31 August 2026, comprising the Hon. Deputy Minister of Education, representatives of Teacher Unions, the Director-General of GES and his team, the Controller and Accountant-General and his team, and chaired by the Hon. Minister of Education, it was agreed that the Ghana Education Service would provide CAGD with the master list of promoted GES staff, their promotion letters and the completed input forms as prerequisites for CAGD to process and pay the affected teachers their promotion arrears, effective 1 January 2026.
Pursuant to this agreement, CAGD received from GES a total of 6,079 completed input forms and corresponding promotion letters as at 22 September 2026, out of an expected total of 58,620 cases. The Department placed on record that all 6,079 cases submitted by GES were fully processed and paid, including the applicable arrears, as part of the September 2026 salaries.
CAGD stressed that it has processed every valid case received from GES. Any outstanding payment therefore relates to cases for which GES is yet to submit the requisite documentation for validation and processing.
The Department can process promotion-related salary adjustments only upon receipt of the required documentation from the employer. If the required documents are not submitted to CAGD, it cannot validate the promotion or upgrade for payroll processing. In such instances, the transaction is suspended until the required documentation is received and duly validated.
CAGD said it remains available to engage constructively with the Ministry of Education, GES, the Teacher Unions and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that any genuine payroll issues are promptly addressed in accordance with due process.
The Department urged all stakeholders to work collaboratively and avoid making statements that may cause public anxiety or misrepresent its role in payroll administration. It appreciated the important contribution of teachers to national development and assured them that every legitimate payment due to them will be processed once the required documentation is submitted and validated.
CAGD reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and the prudent management of the Government of Ghana’s payroll.
