Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson has confirmed that the Book and Research Allowance for tertiary educators has been fully captured in the 2025 national budget, following a crucial meeting with leaders of Ghana’s major academic unions.
The engagement, held earlier today, brought together representatives from 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), who had formally requested clarity on the allowance’s disbursement.
“I assured them that the allowance has been fully captured in the 2025 Budget, and I have since initiated the necessary processes in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education to ensure its release,” Forson stated in a Facebook post detailing the discussions.
The move aims to address longstanding concerns from academic staff about delays in receiving this critical support for their research and teaching work.
The Minister also praised the unions for proposing a dedicated Labour Relations Desk at the Finance Ministry, calling it a proactive step toward improving dialogue between government and labour stakeholders.
“This initiative, once operationalised, will strengthen coordination with our counterparts on the labour front and enhance dialogue and responsiveness,” he noted.
The proposal reflects growing efforts to institutionalise smoother labour negotiations amid recurring disputes over conditions of service in the education sector.
