Lecturers under the Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) have withdrawn teaching and related academic services indefinitely following a dispute with government over unpaid post-retirement contracts and changes to their conditions of service.
The strike began on October 1 after TUTAG Congress unanimously approved industrial action at its September 24 meeting.
TUTAG National President Prof. Deodat E. Adenutsi, speaking at Ho Technical University, said the Association had exhausted several channels of engagement without securing a resolution to its concerns.
A major issue is the payment of lecturers engaged on post-retirement contracts. TUTAG says some affected members have worked for more than 27 months without receiving their contractual remuneration.
“Tragically, some of these affected colleagues have died while awaiting the payment of their remuneration,” Prof. Adenutsi said.
The Association wants government to pay all verified outstanding amounts and provide a clear written schedule for settling the arrears, including payments due to deceased members through their lawful representatives.
TUTAG is also demanding a review of what it considers unilateral alterations to its 2021 Scheme of Service.
The dispute includes the classification and remuneration of university librarians, as well as a GTEC directive requiring Assistant Lecturers and Assistant Research Fellows to obtain PhDs before re-designation.
The Association maintains that the 2021 framework provided for PhD enrolment, together with specified service, teaching and publication requirements.
TUTAG members are therefore withdrawing from teaching, research supervision and the submission of examination results until the issues are resolved.
Other responsibilities, including research, committee duties, meetings and community service, will continue.
Prof. Adenutsi acknowledged the impact of the strike on students and universities.
“We recognise the disruption industrial action causes to students, families and university communities. As teachers, we take that consequence seriously,” he said.
The latest action follows an earlier public statement by TUTAG on August 14 and subsequent engagements with the Ministries of Education and Finance, GTEC, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the National Labour Commission.
The Association has also clarified that the Book and Research Allowance for the 2025/26 academic year is not a current basis for the strike after GTEC confirmed that the first batch of payments had been released for processing.
