The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has suspended its anticipated nationwide strike, which was set to commence on July 6, 2026, due to renewed discussions with the government regarding conditions of service.
The association stated that this decision was made in light of the government’s concrete commitments to address the issues that led to the proposed industrial action.
Speaking in an interview, UTAG General Secretary Dr. Joe Harrison indicated that progress had been made following a series of meetings that took place after the initial strike notice.
He noted that the government had provided written assurances and signed documents that reflect its commitment to resolving the outstanding matters affecting its members.
“Well, following the declaration of an intention to go on strike, we’ve had several engagements with government. The long story short is that there are commitments on the side of government to resolve the issue that we raised,” he stated.
Dr. Joe Harrison further mentioned that some of the concerns raised by the association, particularly those related to conditions of service, had already been addressed during the ongoing negotiations.
Although the industrial action has been suspended, UTAG cautioned that it would not hesitate to initiate the strike if the government fails to fulfil its commitments.
Dr. Joe Harrison also expressed criticism towards recent remarks made by former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, who allegedly suggested that certain university programs, including Development Studies, are unnecessary.
He characterized these comments as unfortunate, contending that university education should not be evaluated solely based on immediate job market results.
“I think that we should not reduce university education to nearly 20 people for the job market. University education is meant to train your mind. It’s supposed to make you trainable. So once you can complete university education, you should be able to fit into every industry,” he said in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Citi News.
