A fresh strike action has hit Ghana’s university sector as three major staff unions declared an indefinite nationwide industrial action starting today.
The unions—the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Technical University Administrators Association of Ghana (TUAAG), and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG) say the strike action is in response to the government’s failure to implement a six-month-old agreement on improved working conditions.
The strike action, which officially began this morning, has led to a total withdrawal of services by administrative and non-academic staff across various public universities.
George Ansong, National Chairman of the Senior Staff Association, made the announcement at a press briefing, instructing all union members to stay home until the signed agreement is honored.
“Hear from us until the government pays or honors the agreement signed on November 12, 2024. Go home!” Mr. Ansong stated emphatically.
According to the leadership, both past and present administrations of the government have failed to fulfill promises made to university staff, despite repeated follow-ups and high-level meetings.
The unions claim that after signing the agreement in 2024, implementation was delayed due to the elections, followed by more excuses involving the appointment of ministers and the preparation of the national budget.
They noted that the strike action has become necessary after meetings with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance failed to yield results, with officials claiming the letter to initiate implementation remains unsigned.
Mr. Ansong expressed frustration with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, which told the unions the new CEO has only just received information about the matter and must endorse it before it moves forward.
“Why don’t you endorse it for it to be implemented? Just a signing of a letter! How many hours does it take for a letter to be signed? We see that it’s a delay, that the government is playing with us, and we can’t have it anymore,” he added.
The unions stressed that the strike action is indefinite and warned that they would not return to work until the agreement is fully implemented.
