The Technical Universities Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) has declared an indefinite nationwide industrial strike set to commence on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

The action follows what the Association terms a “blatant breach of agreement” by the government concerning the payment of a negotiated One-Time Research Allowance that has been outstanding for nearly 17 months.

The strike will result in the complete withdrawal of administrative services across all 10 Technical Universities, immediately stalling essential functions critical to the running of the academic year, including admissions, examinations, and finance.

The core of the industrial action stems from the government’s persistent failure to disburse the allowance, which TUSAAG members were expecting following an agreement reached on July 10, 2024.

The allowance is crucial for the career progression of senior administrators, as it is designed to offset costs related to mandatory research and publication required for promotions within the technical university system.

According to TUSAAG, the allowance is not a discretionary bonus but a contractual obligation:

"The continued non-payment, the association says, constitutes a 'blatant breach of agreement' and demonstrates a lack of respect for the essential contributions of administrators to tertiary education in Ghana."

The Association argues that this failure undermines the professional standing and morale of its members, who provide vital backbone support to tertiary education.

TUSAAG stated that the decision to strike was a last resort, taken only after months of fruitless engagement with key governmental agencies responsible for education and public sector wages.

The Association confirmed that engagements with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) yielded no tangible commitment. Furthermore, TUSAAG claims that repeated attempts to meet with the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, have been systematically ignored or deferred.

"According to TUSAAG, letters, formal requests for dialogue, and repeated attempts to meet with the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, have reportedly gone unanswered or deferred, leaving them with no alternative but to resort to industrial action."

The strike, which involves TUSAAG members from every technical university nationwide, is anticipated to cause immediate chaos in tertiary administration. The complete shutdown of services will affect:

• Finance Departments: Delaying salary and stipend payments, and the release of operational funds.
• Admissions and Registry: Halting the processing of applications and student records.
• Examinations: Jeopardizing the organization and timely release of examination results.
• Human Resources: Suspending staff recruitment, promotions, and disciplinary procedures.

The action will effectively paralyze the day-to-day operations of institutions such as Accra Technical University, Kumasi Technical University, Takoradi Technical University, Tamale Technical University, and others, impacting the academic calendar for thousands of students.

Despite the severe industrial action, TUSAAG stated that its primary goal is to compel a serious response from the government.

"Despite the industrial action, TUSAAG says it remains open to sincere and immediate dialogue to achieve a permanent resolution, stressing that the strike is aimed at compelling the attention and action that previous appeals have failed to secure."