KsTU-TUTAG Gives Ghana Government Ultimatum Over Post-Retirement Salary Arrears

• TUTAG threatens strike if post-retirement salary arrears are not settled by August 2026.
• 15 post-retirement faculty members at KsTU have gone without salaries for over a year.
• The government's failure to settle the issue has led to frustration among affected faculty members.
• Industrial action could lead to disruption of teaching, examinations, and other academic programmes.
• Lawyers advising universities must be aware of the potential consequences of TUTAG's ultimatum.

The Technical University Teachers' Association of Ghana (TUTAG) at Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) has issued a stern warning to the government, threatening to withdraw its services if post-retirement salary arrears are not settled by the end of August 2026. The association's Chairman, Dr. Bismark Quarku Parker, emphasized that the affected faculty members must be included in the payroll validation process by the end of August, or else they will be forced to halt all examination-related activities. This includes marking, submission of results, project supervision, thesis defence, and graduation-related activities until further notice.

The problem began in September 2025, when some post-retirement contract faculty members were not paid by the Controller and Accountant-General's Department (CAGD). Despite efforts by TUTAG to engage GTEC and CAGD to resolve the issue, no lasting solution has been found. In fact, the situation has worsened, with other faculty members' salaries being blocked in October 2025, January 2026, and March 2026.

The government's failure to settle post-retirement salary arrears has raised concerns about its responsibility and accountability. According to Dr. Parker, the inconsistency in paying salaries to post-retirement contract faculty members is unacceptable. He noted that some universities are paying their post-retirement faculty members in full, while others are being paid only partially. The affected faculty members are performing the same duties as their colleagues who are being paid, yet they are not receiving their due compensation.

The situation has been ongoing since September 2025, with TUTAG engaging both GTEC and CAGD to resolve the issue. However, no lasting solution has been found, leaving the affected faculty members without salaries for over a year. The government's inaction has led to a sense of frustration among the affected faculty members, who are now threatening industrial action if their demands are not met.

The potential disruption to teaching and examinations is a pressing concern for lawyers advising universities and academic institutions in Ghana. If TUTAG's ultimatum is not met, it could lead to industrial action, which would halt all examination-related activities at KsTU. This would have far-reaching consequences, including the delay of results, project supervision, thesis defence, and graduation-related activities.

The affected faculty members are warning that their continued absence from academic activities could disrupt teaching, examinations, supervision, and other academic programmes at Kumasi Technical University. The situation highlights the need for the government to take immediate action to resolve the post-retirement salary arrears issue before it's too late.

Lawyers advising universities and academic institutions in Ghana should be aware of the potential disruption to teaching, examinations, and other academic programmes if TUTAG's ultimatum is not met, and may need to advise clients on contingency planning for industrial action.

Source: Original reporting via MyJoyOnline Ghana