TUTAG declares indefinite strike over unpaid contracts and scheme of service variations

The Technical University Teachers' Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has declared an indefinite industrial strike action effective today, 1st October 2026, following what it describes as government's continued failure to resolve long-standing concerns affecting its members.

The declaration was made by the National President, Prof. Deodat E. Adenutsi, at a media engagement held at Ho Technical University on Wednesday. He said the action was pursuant to a unanimous decision and resolution of TUTAG's Congress on 24th September 2026, after an earlier media engagement in Accra on 14th August 2026 yielded no results.

On the issue of the Book and Research Allowance for the 2025/26 academic year, Prof. Adenutsi acknowledged progress by government. He cited a Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) letter dated 28th September 2026 confirming that the first batch of the allowance has been released on GIFMIS for processing by institutions. TUTAG therefore no longer considers its non-payment a substantive ground for the current action, but urged the Ministries of Finance and Education, GTEC, Controller and Accountant-General, and university managements to ensure prompt payment to all beneficiaries.

Despite that progress, Prof. Adenutsi said the strike rests on two substantive unresolved concerns, the first being outstanding payments to colleagues on post-retirement contracts. He noted that some members have remained unpaid for more than 27 months despite diligently executing valid contracts.

He disclosed that some affected colleagues have tragically died while awaiting their remuneration, describing it as the human cost of prolonged non-payment. TUTAG is therefore demanding immediate settlement of all verified outstanding contractual remuneration and a clear, written payment timetable communicated to affected members and lawful representatives of deceased colleagues, after exhausting all engagements with the Ministries of Education and Finance, GTEC, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and the National Labour Commission.

The second concern relates to what TUTAG describes as unilateral variations of the agreed Scheme of Service. On the case of librarians, Prof. Adenutsi said government agencies are introducing administrative arrangements inconsistent with the agreed Scheme without involving the Association, creating uncertainty over the status, conditions of service and remuneration parity of academic librarians with teaching staff.

On Assistant Lecturers and Assistant Research Fellows, TUTAG objected to GTEC's directive of 31st July 2025 requiring completion of a PhD before re-designation as Lecturer or Research Fellow. According to the Association, the consultatively developed Scheme of Service issued on 8th October 2021 only requires PhD enrolment alongside specified service, teaching and publication criteria, and therefore considers the new directive a substantive unilateral departure.

Prof. Adenutsi stated that Congress's unanimous resolution reflects the seriousness of these concerns, noting that members cannot continue indefinitely to provide services while earned remuneration remains unpaid and agreed conditions are inconsistently applied.

He acknowledged the disruption the industrial action will cause to students, families and university communities, but stressed that the Association has a responsibility to defend conditions that enable members to teach, conduct research and serve with dignity.

By the Congress decision, TUTAG has directed all its members to withdraw services with regard to teaching, supervision of students' research, and submission of examination marks indefinitely, while continuing to perform all other professional duties including attending meetings, serving on boards and committees, conducting research and rendering community service.

TUTAG called on government and relevant agencies to act urgently to honour signed contracts, pay earned allowances and respect agreed conditions of service, and urged members to remain united, disciplined and to follow only the Association's official directives.