Labour Department Says PRETAG Remains Foreign to Its Records Amid CCT-GH Name Dispute

By Ferdinand Ellis | EducateGhana.com

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Fact Check & Editorial Review

This report is based on a letter bearing the heading of the Labour Department, Republic of Ghana, dated 16 September 2026 and referenced LD/370/VOL./24.

The letter acknowledges a request for a new trade union certificate in the name of the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG). It also records a petition from two individuals claiming to be the union’s original board of directors and states that the Department intends to seek advice from the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice.

The Department’s position in the letter is that PRETAG remained foreign to its records until the legal advice was received and the name was duly changed. The letter does not establish the final outcome of the reported court proceedings or confirm whether any subsequent decision has changed the position.

Key Takeaways

• The Labour Department’s letter is dated 16 September 2026 and carries reference number LD/370/VOL./24.
• The Department acknowledged a request to issue a new trade union certificate under the name PRETAG.
• Two individuals, Ernest Opoku and Aquuah Johannes George, reportedly petitioned the Department over the proposed name change.
• The Department said the name-change issue and related matters were pending before the High Court, according to the petition described in the letter.
• The Department intended to consult the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice.
• The letter stated that PRETAG remained foreign to the Department’s records until the advice was received and the name was duly changed.

In Brief

The Labour Department has stated in a letter dated 16 September 2026 that the proposed change of name from the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH), to the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) remained unresolved in its records. The Department said it would seek advice from the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice after receiving a petition challenging the amendment.

Labour Department Acknowledges Request to Change Union Name

A letter from the Labour Department has outlined the administrative position concerning the proposed change of name from the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH), to the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).

The letter, dated 16 September 2026 and referenced LD/370/VOL./24, was addressed to the President of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana, in Accra.

It acknowledges receipt of a letter from the union dated 25 August 2026, reference CCTGH/Ho/LAB/Vol.3/26, requesting a new trade union certificate in the name of PRETAG.

The Department also refers to an earlier letter dated 11 August 2026 in connection with the request.

In the correspondence, the Department acknowledges the steps taken towards changing the union’s name to reflect the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana.

However, it explains that a petition from individuals claiming to be the union’s original board of directors has affected the process.

➡️ Related: Ghana Education News and Teacher Union Updates.

Two Individuals Petition Labour Department Over Name Change

According to the letter, a group led by Mr. Ernest Opoku and Mr. Aquuah Johannes George petitioned the Labour Department over the proposed amendment.

The two individuals reportedly claimed to be the original board of directors of the union.

The letter states that they alleged that the amendment of the union’s name and related issues were pending before the High Court. They consequently requested that the Department put the name-change process on hold until the court case was determined.

The letter records these claims as the basis of the petition. It does not independently establish the merits of the claims or the outcome of the court proceedings.

Labour Department to Consult Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice

In response to the petition, the Labour Department stated that it would consult the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice for advice.

The Department also indicated that it would communicate the outcome of the consultation after receiving the advice.

The letter concludes with a clear statement of the Department’s position at the time:

“Until the advice from the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice is received and the name duly changed, we maintain that PRETAG is foreign to our records.”

This statement indicates that, as of 16 September 2026, the Department had not completed the recognition of the proposed name change in its records.

The letter does not state that the name change has been permanently rejected. Rather, it places the process on hold pending legal advice and completion of the required name-change procedure.

➡️ Related: Teacher Union Registration and Labour Relations in Ghana.

What the Letter Means for PRETAG

The letter raises an important distinction between the name used by the union’s current leadership and the name reflected in the Labour Department’s records.

The union’s leadership may use PRETAG in its public communications, but the Department’s letter states that the new name had not yet been duly changed in its records at the time of writing.

For reporting purposes, the distinction matters because the name of a registered trade union is an institutional and administrative matter, particularly when the union is involved in formal negotiations with government or represents members in labour disputes.

The letter should not, however, be treated as a final court ruling on the union’s leadership or legal authority. It records the Department’s position while awaiting advice and the resolution of the issues raised in the petition.

Any subsequent official communication or court decision would be relevant to determining whether the position has changed.

Implications for Reporting on the Teacher Strike

The name dispute is relevant to news coverage involving the pre-tertiary teacher unions because PRETAG has been identified in public communications as one of the organisations involved in negotiations over teachers’ conditions of service.

Journalists should report the union’s name carefully and distinguish between the name used by its current leadership and the position recorded by the Labour Department in September 2026.

Where necessary, reports can identify the organisation as the union using the name PRETAG while explaining that the Department’s letter of 16 September stated that the name change had not yet been completed in its records.

This approach preserves the distinction between the union’s public identity and the administrative position documented in the letter without drawing conclusions beyond the available evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Labour Department letter concern?

It concerns the request to change the name of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH), to the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) and to issue a new trade union certificate.

When was the letter issued?

The letter is dated 16 September 2026 and carries reference number LD/370/VOL./24.

Who petitioned the Labour Department?

The letter names Ernest Opoku and Aquuah Johannes George as individuals claiming to be the union’s original board of directors.

Why did the Department put the process on hold?

According to the letter, the petitioners claimed that the name amendment and related matters were pending before the High Court and asked the Department to wait until the case was determined.

Has the Labour Department permanently rejected PRETAG?

The letter does not say that the name change has been permanently rejected. It says the Department would seek legal advice and maintained that PRETAG was foreign to its records until the advice was received and the name duly changed.

Does the letter determine who legally controls the union?

No. The letter records the Department’s administrative position and the existence of a petition. It does not establish the final outcome of the reported court proceedings or conclusively determine the competing claims.

Conclusion

The Labour Department’s letter of 16 September 2026 provides an important clarification on the proposed change of name from CCT-GH to PRETAG.

The Department acknowledged the request for a new trade union certificate but said a petition challenging the amendment had been received. It consequently indicated that it would consult the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice before proceeding.

Its statement that PRETAG remained foreign to its records reflects the administrative position at the date of the letter. Whether that position has since changed must be established through subsequent official communication or a relevant court decision.

For Ghana’s education sector, the matter remains significant because accurate identification of teacher unions is important in reporting on labour negotiations, institutional representation and teachers’ conditions of service.

EducateGhana.com will continue to follow developments concerning the union’s name-change process and any official clarification that may follow.

About the Author

Ferdinand Ellis is an education blogger, curriculum specialist and researcher, and founder of EducateGhana.com, Ghana’s Education Intelligence Platform. His reporting focuses on education policy, teacher welfare, labour relations and developments affecting Ghana’s education system.

Editorial Note

This report is based on the Labour Department letter supplied for review, dated 16 September 2026. The claims made by the petitioners are presented as claims recorded in the letter, not as findings independently established by the Department or a court. The article does not establish the current legal status of the proposed name change beyond the position stated in that correspondence.