Accra: Dr Clement Apaak, the Deputy Minister of Education, has called on striking university unions to end their industrial action to safeguard the continuity of teaching and learning within the country's public universities.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Apaak's appeal came after he chaired a meeting with the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) at the Ministry of Education on behalf of the Education Minister, Mr Haruna Iddrisu. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG), the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), headed by Dr George Smith-Graham.
The discussions at the meeting were described as open and focused on addressing the issues that have led to the ongoing strike by senior university staff. Dr Apaak, speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, appealed to the unions to consider the adverse impact of their strike on educational activities and urged them to call off the industrial action.
Dr Apaak encouraged the unions to actively participate in statutory dispute-resolution processes and continue their dialogue with the National Labour Commission to find an amicable solution. The SSA-UoG initiated a nationwide strike on Tuesday in response to changes in their conditions of service imposed by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, which they claim were made without sufficient consultation.
The SSA-UoG argues that these changes negatively impact key aspects of their service conditions and disregard previously agreed terms, leaving them no choice but to resort to industrial action. The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is tasked with setting compensation policies across government-funded institutions, including universities.
The strike is disrupting academic and administrative activities, with classes, exams, and other university operations affected in several institutions. Dr Apaak emphasized the government's commitment to dialogue and consensus-building, highlighting the necessity of ongoing engagement among all stakeholders to restore normalcy on campuses and minimize the impact on students.