The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has instructed all senior management officials of public universities participating in the current industrial action led by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) and the Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) to swiftly resume their duties.
GTEC asserts that senior management officials hold executive, managerial, and policy-making roles that entail responsibilities to their institutions, which may limit their involvement in industrial action as stipulated by the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
GTEC further emphasizes that the participation of senior management officials in the strike could lead to a conflict of interest, especially since they are expected to represent their institutions in discussions with trade unions and to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of essential university operations.
“Vice-Chancellors are required to submit to the Commission, within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of this directive, a register of all Senior Management Officials who have participated in the industrial action and have failed to comply with this directive,” GTEC added in a directive to public universities issued on Monday, August 17.
The Commission also cautioned public universities against permitting the strike to interfere with critical institutional and student services.
These services encompass end-of-semester examinations, auditing, internet and telecommunications services, student portals and registration systems, healthcare, cleaning and janitorial services, finance, salary processing, and other vital payments.
It warned that any unlawful disruption of essential services could be considered a violation of the Labour Act and other pertinent laws.
In the meantime, the ongoing GAUA strike is already impacting academic activities at several public universities, with the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and other institutions reportedly halting scheduled examinations.
GTEC has urged members of GAUA and TUSAAG to exercise restraint and ensure that their industrial action remains within the confines of the law.
