The joint leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) and the Colleges of Education Non-Teaching Staff Association of Ghana (CENTSAG) at Savannah College of Education, Daboya, has suspended its sit-down strike over delays in staff migration onto the public sector salary structure, effective November 1, 2026.
The decision follows intervention by the Savannah Regional Minister and engagements with College Management, as the unions prepare for further discussions with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) on outstanding migration concerns, including 15 limited clearances. Members have been directed to resume normal duties while negotiations continue.
“The suspension of the strike should not be misconstrued as a resolution of the underlying concerns, as the outstanding staff migration issues remain unresolved.”
CETAG
The two associations confirmed that the industrial action had been suspended after the Regional Minister intervened on behalf of the President and appealed to staff to return to work.
The unions also acknowledged appeals from the North Gonja District Chief Executive, traditional leaders, the Savannah Regional Director of Education, College Management and the North Gonja District Police Commander.
CETAG and CENTSAG Suspend Industrial Action
According to the notice, the Regional Minister listened to staff concerns, assured them that the outstanding issues would receive the necessary attention and urged the unions to end the strike.
Further engagements between the union leadership and College Management had also produced some progress towards addressing the concerns.
The associations therefore agreed to suspend the action to allow consultations and negotiations to proceed.
GTEC Meeting to Address Fifteen Limited Clearances
The next stage of the engagement is expected to take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, when the leadership of CETAG and CENTSAG will meet the Director-General and Director of Budget of GTEC.
The meeting is expected to clarify the next steps and establish a roadmap, including timelines for completing the migration process. The unions specifically identified 15 limited clearances as an outstanding matter requiring attention.
The discussions are expected to provide clarity on how the migration will be completed and the timeframe within which staff can expect progress
The joint leadership indicated that it would monitor the implementation of assurances given during the engagements, assess developments and keep members informed.
It maintained that the outstanding issues remained a serious concern and that the suspension should not be interpreted as an abandonment of the unions’ demands
“The outstanding issues remain matters of serious concern to the unions.” Ministry of Education Appeals for Restrain.
This decision follows, the Ministry of Education acknowledgement of concerns raised by some staff of Savannah College of Education over their migration onto the public sector salary structure.
The Ministry assured affected staff that it was addressing their concerns with the relevant agencies. It appealed to the striking tutors to exercise restraint and call off the industrial action while efforts to resolve the matter continued.
“The 15 limited clearances remain a major concern, and we expect the forthcoming GTEC engagement to establish clear timelines for completing the migration process.”
Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana
The Ministry further reaffirmed its commitment to working with stakeholders to strengthen and support the growth of Savannah College of Education as a developing institution.
The Ministry’s statement places the migration concerns within ongoing efforts involving the relevant agencies, although it did not provide a specific completion date or further details of the arrangements being considered.
Unions Thank Stakeholders for Intervention
CETAG and CENTSAG expressed gratitude to the Savannah Regional Minister, the Member of Parliament for Daboya/Mankarigu Constituency, the North Gonja District Chief Executive, regional and district directors of education, traditional leaders, the District Police Command and College Management for their intervention.
They also acknowledged members for their solidarity, patience and cooperation during the industrial action, as well as media organisations for drawing attention to the concerns.
The associations reiterated their commitment to securing what they described as a timely, fair and amicable resolution in the interests of staff, students and the college.
The suspension brings the sit-down strike to a pause as the parties prepare for the GTEC meeting. However, the unions have made clear that the central issue remains unresolved and that their decision to resume work is intended to create room for continued dialogue.
The outcome of the November 3 engagement is therefore expected to be important in determining the next steps towards completing the staff migration process.
Until the outstanding addressed, the joint leadership intends to keep members updated and scrutinise the progress made by the relevant institutions.
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