The Technical University Teachers' Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has declared that it will not call off its ongoing strike unless the government provides a comprehensive, written, and signed roadmap to address its concerns. This stance was made clear by National President of TUTAG, Professor Deodat E. Adenutsi, in an interview on Adom FM's Dwaso Nsem. According to him, members have lost confidence in verbal commitments after previous assurances failed to translate into concrete action.
Professor Adenutsi revealed that the Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, had met with the association a day after the strike was declared and appealed to members to return to work. However, the proposal was rejected by Congress, which wants the government's commitments documented with clear timelines before considering a return to the classroom. TUTAG is demanding urgent action because similar verbal assurances have been made in the past without the promised commitments being fulfilled.
The strike, which is not a decision taken hastily, has already caused disruption to academic work on campuses. Most technical universities have reopened, and newly admitted students have reported without meeting lecturers. According to Professor Adenutsi, as of now, most of the schools have reopened, and first-years didn't meet anyone when they reported. The association had previously cited outstanding payments to lecturers on post-retirement contracts, unilateral variations of agreed schemes of service, and concerns over a Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) directive as among the issues behind the industrial action.
Professor Adenutsi mentioned that the non-payment of the Book and Research Allowance was no longer a substantive basis for the strike because the government had demonstrated progress by initiating the payment process. TUTAG had said it exhausted several channels of engagement over unpaid post-retirement contracts, including meetings and correspondence with the Ministries of Education and Finance, GTEC, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and the National Labour Commission.
Some affected staff, the association said, have remained unpaid for as long as 27 months despite continuing to perform their contractual duties. The association is holding out for a written proposal from the government, which will be taken to Congress for consideration. Professor Adenutsi emphasized that TUTAG will take any written proposal from the government to Congress for consideration and will hold the government accountable to any commitments made by demanding specific timelines for implementation.
According to Professor Adenutsi, when the government provides a written proposal, TUTAG will take it to Congress for consideration. He added that the association will tick off specific timelines for implementation, ensuring that the government is held accountable for its commitments. The association remains hopeful that the government will address its concerns quickly to enable lecturers to return to teaching and allow academic activities to proceed smoothly.
TUTAG's demands include a comprehensive written and signed roadmap that addresses its concerns, including outstanding payments to lecturers on post-retirement contracts and unilateral variations of agreed schemes of service. The association is seeking a speedy resolution to the impasse to minimize the impact on the academic calendar. Key issues driving the strike include the non-payment of post-retirement contracts and unilateral changes to schemes of service.
Key points
- TUTAG demands a written roadmap from the government to end the strike.
- The strike has caused disruption to academic work on campuses.
- The association seeks a comprehensive written and signed roadmap that addresses its concerns.
