The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has warned that delays in processing teacher promotions could affect the retirement benefits of teachers who are nearing the end of their careers.

National President of GNAT, Prosper Tackie, said that promotions directly affect teachers' retirement benefits, making the delays a major concern for the union.

“You see, most of our teachers, especially those who are about to retire, whatever promotion they gain has a consequential effect on their retirement, and for that matter, we don’t joke with our promotions,” he said on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday.

Mr Tackie explained that the current dispute also involves conflicting figures over the number of teachers whose promotions need to be processed.

He said the Controller and Accountant General’s Department may have figures that differ from those held by the Ghana Education Service because teachers on different ranks are involved.

“The truth is that we have teachers on higher ranks, which, I think, add up to 58,000, and then we have others on lower ranks who are also equally promoted.”

He said the two groups together account for the more than 80,000 teachers being discussed.

“So these two numbers add up together to get the over 80,000 teachers we are talking of,” he said.

Mr Tackie said the Controller and Accountant General’s Department may have prepared for only the 58,000 teachers in higher ranks, without taking the others into account.

“It’s quite unfortunate that our Controller and Accountant General may have only prepared for the 58,000 by not taking into consideration the other on the lower ranks or the others on the lower rung,” he said.

He also recounted the pressure teachers faced during last year's promotion process.

“Last year, we were compelled to go and write the exams in December,” he said.

According to him, the examinations had to be completed before the government’s clearance expired at the end of the budget year.

“Our members went in for the promotion exams in December when others were celebrating the Christmas festivities,” he said.

He said other teachers were captured in February, with the union expecting their results by March.

However, the process remained unresolved for months.

“Subsequently, there were others who were captured in February, and by March we were expecting the result couldn’t come until April, when President Mahama was invited to come and commission our PESCAN at the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre.”

Mr Tackie said the delayed promotions were subsequently raised with President John Dramani Mahama, particularly because of their effect on teachers approaching retirement.

“When he came before, he raised the issue that our promotion was still pending, and that it has an effect on teachers who are about to retire.”