GTEC Directs Senior Management Officials Participating in Strike to Return to Work

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed senior management officials of public universities who are participating in the ongoing industrial action by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) and the Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) to return to work immediately.

GTEC says senior management officials occupy executive, managerial and policy-making positions with responsibilities that may limit their participation in industrial action under the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651). The Commission also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, particularly where officials are expected to represent their institutions in engagements with unions and maintain essential university operations.

In a directive issued to public universities on Monday, August 17, 2026, GTEC instructed Vice-Chancellors to submit, within 48 hours, registers of senior management officials who participated in the industrial action and failed to comply with the directive.

The Commission further warned universities to ensure that the strike does not disrupt essential services, including examinations, auditing, internet and telecommunications services, student portals, registration systems, healthcare, cleaning services, finance, salary processing and other essential payments.

GTEC cautioned that unlawful disruption of essential services could amount to a breach of the Labour Act and other applicable laws. The directive comes as the ongoing GAUA strike continues to affect activities at some public universities, with institutions including the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) suspending scheduled examinations.

GTEC has meanwhile called on members of GAUA and TUSAAG to exercise restraint and ensure that their industrial action remains within the limits of the law.