The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has denied reports that its Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham, said teachers participating in an illegal strike would have their salaries deducted for every day they remain away from work.

The Commission said Dr Smith-Graham “did not make the comments attributed to him in the said media report”.

“The FWSC, therefore, respectfully appeals to the public and the media to disregard the purported comments and any conclusions drawn from them, as they do not represent a statement made by the Chief Executive or a position taken by the Commission in relation to the ongoing teachers’ strike,” the Commission said.

The clarification follows reports attributing comments to Dr Smith-Graham regarding the payment of salaries to workers who engage in an illegal strike.

The FWSC emphasised “that its current engagement with the three pre-tertiary teacher unions is focused on dialogue and negotiations aimed at addressing outstanding issues relating to their collective agreement and conditions of service”. 

The FWSC on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, engaged the leadership of the three pre-tertiary teacher unions as part of efforts to resolve the issues that led to the nationwide strike.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Smith-Graham and attended by GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba, PRETAG President King Awudu Ali and other leaders of the three unions.

The Commission said the meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to discuss the outstanding issues and demands raised by the unions.

Speaking after the meeting, Dr Smith-Graham said the engagement would be reconvened at a later date to allow the Commission to undertake further consultations on the demands and engage relevant stakeholders before negotiations resume.

He also commended the union leaders for the peaceful manner in which the meeting was conducted.

The FWSC said the engagement formed part of the formal process initiated by government following the commencement of the teachers’ nationwide strike on Monday, September 28, 2026.

The Commission’s involvement followed an emergency meeting convened by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu with the leadership of the three teacher unions on September 28, after the strike began.

The Minister subsequently indicated that the FWSC would spearhead the next phase of formal negotiations on behalf of government.

The FWSC said it remains committed to finding a resolution through continued engagement.

“The FWSC wishes to reiterate its commitment to constructive engagement with the teacher unions and other relevant stakeholders towards finding a mutually acceptable and sustainable resolution to the outstanding issues,” it said.

“The Commission acknowledges the importance of the concerns raised by the unions and believes that continued dialogue and good-faith negotiations remain critical to resolving the issues.”

The FWSC, therefore, encouraged the public, the media and all stakeholders “to rely on verified information from the Commission and other appropriate authorities regarding developments on the matter” .