After more than two months of industrial action, the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) has voted unanimously to suspend its strike following progress in resolving some of its outstanding grievances with the government.
The association’s National President, Rev. Kwaku Karikari Amoah, announced that members agreed to resume work on Monday while engagements continue on the remaining issues.
Addressing the media after a meeting with the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, Rev. Amoah explained that the association presented six principal grievances, four of which had been addressed through negotiations and interventions by relevant state institutions.
“And even with the two outstanding issues, we have had the window open for us to engage the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, and other agencies to ensure that these two outstanding issues are addressed.”
Rev. Kwaku Karikari Amoah
The GAUA National President attributed the progress to the minister’s facilitation of discussions aimed at resolving the dispute, which disrupted administrative operations at public universities. He indicated that the association’s National Executive Committee had reviewed the issues before reaching its decision.
Among the matters addressed are the one-time research allowance, for which a payment warrant has been received from the Ministry of Finance, and the interim market premium, which the association reported has been addressed by the Fair Wages And Salaries Commission. The association also expressed optimism that members who have missed their negotiated 40 percent allowance would receive their payments.
Rev. Amoah further identified progress on the retirement rollover arrangement, with GTEC expected to communicate with university managements about extending the arrangement to non-teaching senior members. He indicated that the association’s decision is a result of assurances and developments relating to these grievances.
Nevertheless, the outstanding issues are central to the resolution process, particularly the formal communication concerning the market premium. GAUA’s position is that a consistent engagement with the relevant institutions must produce concrete outcomes.
The association’s decision offers a potential pathway towards restoring normal administrative operations across public universities, provided the outstanding commitments are addressed. Rev. Amoah expressed the expectation that work would resume while negotiations continued on the unresolved matters.
Education Minister Pushes University Reopening Amid GAUA Strike
Education Minister, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu urged public universities to resume academic activities as the government intensifies efforts to resolve the industrial dispute involving the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA).
His intervention centres on restoring campus operations and protecting the academic calendar while negotiations continue over the association’s outstanding salary and conditions-of-service grievances.
The minister’s appeal follows disruptions to university administration and the postponement of reopening arrangements at institutions including the University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He has called on GAUA to return to work while the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) pursue the remaining issues.
Addressing the association’s leadership, Hon. Iddrisu expressed appreciation for the negotiations and indicated that the government would work towards resolving the outstanding 20 percent of GAUA’s grievances. He described the reported resolution of four out of six issues as “significant progress”, while urging both parties to preserve mutual respect throughout the process.
“We will endeavor to honor the outstanding 20% and keep the mutual respect of the two persons two parties.”
Honoruable Haruna Iddrisu
The minister’s position reflects the government’s concern about the consequences of prolonged industrial action for students, university employees and institutional administration. GTEC directed public universities to reopen by Friday, October 16, with lectures scheduled to begin on Monday, October 19, despite the ongoing labour dispute.
However, reopening directives alone do not resolve the disagreements that triggered the strike. GAUA has insisted on receiving a formal response from the FWSC on the market premium issue before making a final determination on the industrial action, placing pressure on the relevant agencies to complete their commitments.
The FWSC’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr George Smith-Graham, has also expressed surprise that the association remained on strike after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Commission. He contended that salary negotiations had been concluded and payments made, while the Commission had agreed to examine additional proposals concerning disparities in the Single Spine Salary Structure.
The differing positions illustrate the need for clearer communication over what has been resolved and what remains subject to negotiation. While the government seeks to restore academic activity, GAUA’s insistence on formal assurances underscores the importance of translating discussions into documented commitments.
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