Yagbonwura Urges Mahama to Resolve Savannah College of Education Staff Strike

• The Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene in a five-day strike at Savannah College of Education.
• Approximately 170 teaching and non-teaching staff are striking, demanding migration onto the public payroll and establishment of a Management Unit.
• Staff claim they have not received payment since the college's government absorption in March 2025.
• The strike, involving kitchen staff, has disrupted food services, leaving students without campus-prepared meals.
• The situation has already led to 17 teachers leaving the college for other institutions.

A central grievance articulated by the striking workers is the complete absence of payment for their services since the college's absorption by the government in March 2025.

An industrial action, now in its fifth day, has gripped the Savannah College of Education, compelling a direct appeal for presidential intervention. Approximately 170 teaching and non-teaching staff members, affiliated with both the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana and the Colleges of Education Non-Teaching Staff Association of Ghana, are actively participating in this significant Ghana education sector industrial action. The Overlord of Gonjaland and Life Patron of the institution, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, has publicly urged President John Dramani Mahama to personally address the escalating situation, recognizing its profound implications.

Speaking from Daboya through Jantonwura Peter Awusi Yakubu, the Secretary to the Wasipe Traditional Council, the Yagbonwura underscored the gravity of the ongoing dispute. He articulated that the strike represents a major concern for both the college community and the wider Savannah Region, necessitating immediate and decisive action from the nation's highest office. The revered traditional leader expressed his firm belief in President Mahama's capacity to resolve these challenges, specifically calling for the President to instruct his officials to promptly tackle the workers' grievances, prioritizing the most critical issues at hand.

The core of the staff's industrial action at the Savannah College of Education stems from their demand for formal migration onto the public payroll system. A central grievance articulated by the striking workers is the complete absence of payment for their services since the college's absorption by the government in March 2025. This prolonged financial uncertainty highlights a critical, unresolved issue within the broader Ghana public payroll migration education framework, impacting the livelihoods of numerous dedicated educators and support staff.

Beyond the immediate financial concerns, the striking personnel are also advocating for the urgent establishment of a dedicated college Management Unit. They assert that such a unit is indispensable for efficiently facilitating and overseeing their seamless transition onto the public payroll, ensuring administrative clarity and accountability. The persistent failure to address these fundamental demands has already yielded tangible negative consequences, notably contributing to the departure of 17 experienced teachers from the Savannah College of Education, who have sought employment at other educational institutions, further exacerbating staffing challenges.

The ongoing industrial action has generated considerable disruption and heightened tension across the Savannah College of Education campus, with particularly severe implications for student welfare. A significant concern, explicitly voiced by Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, is the participation of kitchen staff in the strike, which has led to a complete breakdown of food services. Consequently, students are now deprived of meals typically prepared on campus, compelling them to make alternative arrangements for their sustenance, often outside the college premises.

A recent visit by JoyNews reporters to the college provided visual confirmation of this critical situation, revealing that both the kitchen and pantry facilities were securely locked. This visible disruption compounds the daily challenges faced by students and underscores the urgent necessity for a swift resolution to the labor dispute. The collective anxieties emanating from the traditional leadership, the striking staff, and the directly affected student body collectively emphasize the critical importance of President John Dramani Mahama's intervention to restore normalcy, ensure the well-being of students, and uphold the educational mission of the Savannah College of Education.

This article highlights a significant labor dispute in Ghana's education sector concerning the migration of absorbed college staff onto the public payroll. Lawyers advising educational institutions or public sector entities in Ghana should monitor this situation for precedents regarding staff integration, compensation, and the legal obligations arising from government absorption of institutions, ensuring compliance with labor laws and public sector employment regulations.

Source: Original reporting via JoyNews