GAUA suspends strike, says 80% of grievances have been addressed

The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) has suspended its nationwide strike, with members expected to return to work on Monday, October 19, 2026, after negotiations with the Ministry of Education yielded what the association describes as significant progress on its demands.

GAUA National President, Rev. Kwaku Karikari Amoah, announced the decision on Friday, October 16, following a meeting of the association’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which unanimously agreed to suspend the industrial action while discussions on unresolved issues continue.

“After we had done a thorough evaluation, we came to the consensus that about 80% of our grievances have been met,” Rev. Amoah said.

He explained that the decision followed engagements with the Education Ministry and assurances that the remaining concerns would be addressed through further discussions with the relevant government stakeholders.

“On that basis, we agreed unanimously that we suspend the strike action so that our members will go back to the offices on Monday to work,” he added.

The suspension is expected to facilitate the restoration of administrative services at public universities across the country, although the association has made clear that negotiations on its outstanding demands are not over.

Market premium, allowances among key concerns

GAUA’s industrial action centred on remuneration disparities between teaching and non-teaching senior staff in public universities, particularly concerns over revised market premiums and related allowances.

Among the issues raised by the association were market premium payments, what it described as the wrongful placement of some members on the Single Spine Salary Structure, a negotiated 40 percent allowance for professionals in technical and public universities, the extension of the retirement rule beyond the fifth year, and a one-off allowance payment.

The association reactivated its strike on August 10, 2026, after persistent concerns over differences in remuneration between teaching and non-teaching staff.

Rev. Amoah said the NEC had carefully reviewed the grievances and assessed the progress made through negotiations before reaching its decision to suspend the strike.

Although GAUA considers about 80 percent of its concerns to have been addressed, the remaining issues are expected to feature in subsequent engagements with government officials.

Education Minister credited for facilitating talks

The GAUA president acknowledged the Education Minister’s role in facilitating discussions aimed at resolving the association’s concerns, saying the engagements had helped advance efforts to address some of the grievances.

“As the minister just said, we brought our grievances to him for redress, and he has so far helped us and facilitated the process for some of these grievances to be addressed,” he said.

He maintained that the association would continue engaging the relevant authorities until the outstanding matters were resolved.

Rev. Amoah also defended the NEC’s authority to take the decision, explaining that it was GAUA’s second-highest decision-making body after Congress and was empowered to act on behalf of the association.

He said the return to work would enable university administrators to resume their duties and support efforts to maintain calm across public university campuses.

“GAUA has suspended its strike action, and we are going back to the offices to complement the efforts of our colleagues on campus to ensure that there is peace and tranquillity on our university campuses,” he said.

The suspension means GAUA members are expected to resume work on Monday, October 19, while negotiations continue over the unresolved demands. The association’s position suggests that the immediate industrial action has been halted, but a lasting resolution will depend on the outcome of further discussions with government.

EA