Following their 10-day strike, the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) and the Technical Universities Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) have called off their industrial action.

They declared the strike on Monday, August 10, over what they described as inequities in allowances and market premiums between teaching and non-teaching senior members in public universities.

In a formal notice jointly issued by GAUA and TUSAAG and signed by the presidents of both associations on August 20, the associations informed their members to resume work, saying their leaders had agreed to temporarily suspend the ongoing strike, effective immediately.

They called off the strike following engagements with the Ministry of Education and heads of tertiary institutions, who assured them that steps would be taken to address their challenges and find solutions to their concerns.

“This decision follows from a constructive engagement with the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Vice Chancellors Ghana and Vice Chancellors of Technical Universities Ghana, who have committed to renewed and time-bound discussions on the outstanding issues underlying our industrial action,” parts of the notice said.

Consequently, “in the spirit of good faith and social dialogue, our two Associations have resolved to give this engagement the space it requires to yield results. We urge our members across all affected institutions to resume normal duties while these discussions proceed.”

However, the associations warned that they would resume the strike if no progress was made as assured by the stakeholders.

“We wish to state clearly that this suspension is temporary and conditional on demonstrable progress. GAUA and TUSAAG reserve the right to resume this suspended industrial action, without further notice, should the outcome of engagement, particularly with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), fail to yield satisfactory outcomes within a reasonable and agreed timeframe,” the statement added.

The associations thanked their members for their solidarity and discipline throughout the period of industrial action, as well as the general public for their solidarity and understanding.

Meanwhile, before GAUA and TUSAAG suspended their strike on August 20, 2026, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu appealed to them to suspend the action and give the government one month to resolve their outstanding payment and allowance concerns.

He assured them that he would engage the Ministry of Finance, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and other relevant institutions to address the issues.

As part of his intervention, the Minister directed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to submit validated beneficiary data by August 18, 2026. This was to enable the Ministry of Finance to process payments for the one‑time research allowance owed to non‑teaching senior staff. He assured the unions that this step was critical to unlocking the funds and restoring confidence.

Haruna Iddrisu also acknowledged the broader concerns about salary adjustments, market premium disparities, and job evaluation. He promised to engage the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to ensure fairness between teaching and non‑teaching senior members. In his view, the disparities had created unnecessary tension, and government was determined to correct them.

The Minister further noted issues raised about retirement arrangements and staff placement, particularly for registrars, finance directors, and other administrators. He explained that these matters would be examined carefully to ensure equity and proper recognition of their roles within the university system.

Finally, he stressed the importance of restoring industrial harmony on campuses. With universities preparing for a new academic year, he urged the unions to return to work so that academic and administrative activities could proceed smoothly. His appeal was framed as a call to protect students, stabilize operations, and maintain peace in the tertiary education sector.