Members of the Senior Staff Association of the Universities of Ghana (SSA UOG) have challenged the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Benjamin Arthur, to carry out his threats of withholding salaries of staff after they declared their strike action.

According to the Association, the commencement of their strike action today, July 13, 2022, has brought dissatisfaction to some institutions. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the National Chairman of the SSA UOG, Isaac Donkor, indicated that the threats by the CEO of the Commission was uncalled for.

“The CEO of FWSC, Ing Ben Arthur, has threatened to withhold all salaries of senior staff if we embark on strike. We believe that his posture was intimidating and also an affront to the position he occupies as a public officer who preaches equity but practices none. We are daring him on his claim.”
Isaac Donkor

Mr Donkor revealed that the action of Mr Arthur has “even triggered our resolve for the strike action”. He explained that the association still maintains its position that the government has been unfair to the senior staff in public universities in Ghana.

“In our candid opinion, the payment of allowance to selected few within the senior staff associations in public universities and our compatriots in other unions is unscientific and discriminatory. We therefore ask government to act fairly towards senior staff in public universities.”
Isaac Donkor

Prior to this, James Maluna Banoeng Yakubu, a trustee of Senior Staff Association of the Universities of Ghana, refused to disclose the reasons for the intended strike but assured that the President of the association will address the media on the matter.

Teachers demand for COLA

There has been a growing incidence of industrial action by various labour unions in Ghana over their demand for a 20% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) which they insist would help ameliorate the pressure on them due to the rising cost of living in Ghana.

Currently, the Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) have laid down their tools, over the failure of government to pay them 20% of their basic salaries as Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA).

On Tuesday, July 12, 2022, representatives of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the National Graduate Association of Teachers (NAGRAT) walked out of the negotiation with government over their demand for COLA. The two associations accused government of betrayal of trust for asking them to call off their strike before negotiations.

The President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, emphasized that government’s request for striking unions to call of the strike before negotiations begin means that the “government side is not ready to continue negotiations” unless the teacher unions call off the strike. He noted that government by taking this position, has held all organised “labour hostage”.

On his part, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wereko-Brobbey, revealed that the adjournment was due to the refusal of some labour unions to call off their strike before negotiations commence.