By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, Oct 1, GNA-The Congress of the Technical University Teacher’s Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has directed its members to withdraw services effective immediately, from October 1, 2026.
This is pursuant to unanimous decision and resolution of Congress on September 24, to embark on industrial action following continued failure by the government to resolve pertinent concerns raised publicly in Accra, on August 14, this year.
Professor Deodat Emilson Adenutsi, National President of TUTAG, flanked by other executive members told a press conference in Ho, that members have exercised patience, tolerance, and sought peaceful resolution through engagement and legitimacy but to no avail.
“Our outstanding issues continue to undermine members’ livelihoods, contractual rights and confidence in the administration of our conditions as well as scheme of service.
He said government had shown good faith b initiating the payment of processes for the book and research allowance as demonstrated by the Ghana Tertiary Education Council (GTEC’s) letter, dated September 28, an attestation of release on GIFMIS for processing by respective institutions for first batch payments.
He said TUTAG no longer considers the aforementioned as substantive grounds for the current industrial action. And therefore, urged related agencies to act in dispatch and coordinate effectively to ensure all eligible beneficiaries receive payments due to them.
However, Prof Adenutsi, disclosed that the current strike action is tangential to outstanding non-payments to members on post-retirement contracts after exhausting all avenues including those of the Ministries of Education and Finance, GTEC, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Labour Commission.
He added: all duty bearers have acknowledged the need for payments, yet this obligation has yielded no results with remuneration outstanding for 27 months, despite fulfilling their contractual demands.
Tragically, he disclosed some qualified members have died while awaiting payment with their dependents losing out.
“Their passing underscores the human cost of prolonged non-payment and the urgency of settling these outstanding obligations, including amounts due to deceased colleagues through the appropriate lawful arrangements.”
“TUTAG, therefore, demands the immediate settlement of all verified outstanding contractual remuneration and a clear, written payment timetable communicated o affected members, where applicable.”
Secondly, Prof Adenutsi said the unilateral variations of he agreed scheme of service, in the case of Librarians as government agencies continue to introduce and apply administrative arrangements inconsistent with agreed scheme of service without the involvement of the Association.
He said inconsistent interpretations of eligibility for academic librarian status have created uncertainty over colleagues’ conditions of service and remuneration parity with teaching staff.
“We demand he resolution of the classification and remuneration discrepancies affecting eligible librarians, payment of the applicable market premium and associated arrears and an end to unilateral departure from the scheme of service,” he added.
Again, Prof Adenutsi said TUTAG abhors GTTEC’s directive of July 31, 2025, which required Assistant Lecturers/Assistant Research Fellows to having to complete a PhD before re-designation as lecturer/Research Fellow.
He said TUTAG considers he subsequent requirement a substantive unilateral departure that undermined legitimate career expectations and disadvantages eligible staff and therefore calls for consultation and implementation of the October 2021 scheme, unless, lawfully amended through the appropriate consultative process.
The President observed that TUTAG Congress resolution reflects the seriousness of this unresolved concern saying “Our members cannot continue indefinitely to provide services while earned remuneration remains unpaid and agreed conditions of service and subjected to inconsistent implementation.
He TUTAG recognizes he disruptions industrial actions causes to students, families and the University community but, again we owe it a duty to defend the conditions that enable members to each, conduct research and serve their institutions with dignity.
“Our demands are clear: honour signed contracts, pay earned allowances and respect agreed conditions of service, while call on government and relevant agencies to act urgently.
TUTAG directs with immediate effect, all members to withdraw their services about teaching, supervision of students’ research and submission of examination marks, until further notice.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade
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