TUTAG gives govt 7-day ultimatum to pay Book and Research Allowance

The Technical University Teachers' Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has issued the government a seven-day ultimatum to release and pay the 2025/2026 Book and Research Allowance to all eligible members, warning that failure to do so could trigger industrial action.

The deadline, set for September 22, 2026, comes amid concerns over the prolonged delay in paying the allowance, which the Association says is undermining the purpose for which it was introduced.

In a statement issued on September 15, 2026, TUTAG said the 2025/2026 academic year had already ended in most public and technical universities, with several institutions concluding their academic calendars between June and August.

The Association, led by President Prof Deodat Emilson Adenutsi and General Secretary Dr Francis Fonyee Nutsugah, described the Book and Research Allowance as an established academic entitlement for eligible lecturers and researchers.

It explained that the allowance is meant to assist lecturers in acquiring books, academic materials, research tools and other resources necessary for teaching, research and professional development.

TUTAG said the payment is expected at the beginning of each academic year to enable lecturers to plan their teaching, undertake research, participate in academic activities and prepare scholarly work for publication.

The Association argued that postponing the payment until a substantial part of the academic year has passed defeats the purpose of the allowance and forces lecturers to bear expenses for academic and research activities from their personal resources.

According to TUTAG, it has repeatedly engaged the government and relevant state institutions through dialogue in an effort to resolve the issue. However, it said the recurring delays should not be allowed to become an annual feature.

The Association has therefore called on the Ministries of Finance and Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and other responsible institutions to act swiftly to ensure that the allowance is released and paid within the seven-day deadline.

TUTAG warned that failure to meet the September 22 deadline would leave its members with “no alternative but to advise themselves,” including the possibility of withdrawing their services through industrial action.