Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has called on university administrators to halt their industrial action and give the government one month to resolve their outstanding payment concerns.
Speaking at a meeting with representatives of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) and the Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) on Monday, August 17, Mr Iddrisu stated that the government was committed to resolving the issues that resulted in the strike.
“I want you to give me one month to resolve the issues, and I want you to furnish me with the data to help the resolution,” the Minister said.
A key issue at the centre of the dispute is the payment of a one-time research allowance owed to non-teaching senior staff at public universities.
Mr Iddrisu has directed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to submit the relevant beneficiary data by 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18.
The information will allow the Ministry of Finance to verify the figures and initiate the payment process.
According to the Minister, the matter has been discussed with the Deputy Finance Minister, Thomas Ampem, who emphasised the need for accurate information on the beneficiaries.
However, the Ministry of Finance requires validated and audited beneficiary data before releasing the funds.
Mr Iddrisu also referred to a letter dated April 24, 2026, from the Deputy Finance Minister, stressing the importance of submitting the requested information to facilitate the payment process.
The Education Minister also responded to a recent letter from GTEC, which he said contained both “friendly and unfriendly” elements.
He suggested that the concerns raised in the letter may need to be addressed separately while appealing to administrators to return to work as the government works to resolve their grievances.
GAUA and TUSAAG commenced the latest industrial action on August 11, 2026, over unresolved issues, including salary disparities, market premium adjustments and outstanding allowances.
Meanwhile, the strike has already disrupted academic activities at some public universities, with institutions including the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) reportedly suspending scheduled examinations.
Moreover, GTEC has directed specified senior management officials of public universities to resume work, stating that they are not eligible to take part in industrial action.
The directive applies to Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Directors of Finance, Directors of Internal Audit and other executive and managerial officials.
GTEC has also given Vice-Chancellors 48 hours to submit the names of senior management officials who fail to comply with the directive.
Following Monday’s meeting, GAUA leadership requested 48 hours to consult its members on the Education Minister’s appeal, with the association expected to announce its decision by Wednesday, August 19.
According to the Minister, if members agree to suspend the strike, the government will have until September 17, 2026, to resolve the outstanding payment concerns within the one-month timeline.