The Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak, has appealed to striking university unions to call off their industrial action to safeguard teaching and learning in public universities.
He warned that the strike by senior staff unions could severely disrupt academic activities and urged union leaders to return to the negotiation table in the interest of students and the academic calendar.
Dr Apaak made the appeal after chairing a meeting at the Ministry of Education on behalf of the Minister for Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, with the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG).
The meeting brought together representatives of the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU-TUC), the Federation of University Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG), the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), led by its Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham.
Describing the discussions as frank and constructive, Dr Apaak said they focused on the concerns that triggered the industrial action.
“On behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, I appealed to the unions to consider the impact of their action on teaching and learning and call off the strike,” Dr Apaak stated.
He further urged the unions to continue engaging statutory dispute resolution mechanisms, particularly the National Labour Commission (NLC), to help achieve an amicable settlement.
The nationwide strike was declared by members of the SSA-UoG in protest against what they described as unilateral changes to their conditions of service by the FWSC.
The association contends that the adjustments were made without adequate consultation and are detrimental to the welfare of senior staff in public universities.
According to the union, the variations affect key aspects of their conditions of service and undermine previously agreed arrangements, leaving members with no option but to embark on industrial action.
The FWSC is the state institution mandated to regulate salaries, wages and working conditions for public sector workers, including those in public universities.
The strike has already disrupted academic and administrative activities in several public universities, affecting lectures, examinations and routine operations.
Dr Apaak reiterated the government’s commitment to dialogue and consensus-building, stressing that sustained engagement among all stakeholders was essential to restoring calm on university campuses and ensuring that students were not unduly affected.
By Cliff Ekuful
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