UTAG-KNUST escalates Pro-VC, Dean appointment dispute to University Council

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has taken its dispute over the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans to the University Council and raised it to the University Council. This development follows what UTAG described as a "deeply disappointing" decision made by the Academic Board during their September 9, 2026 meeting.

In a letter sent to UTAG-KNUST members on September 10, the Association's President Prof. Eric Kwabena Kyeh Abavare and Secretary Prof. Akwasi Afrifa Acheampong stated that the Academic Board had failed to maintain UTAG's position that the current appointment process should remain unchanged until a mutually agreeable framework is established.

UTAG-KNUST threatened to formally engage the University Council to seek an urgent reconsideration of the matter. The Association has argued that its demand for meaningful participation in decisions about leadership of academic staff staff is rooted in Act 1157, Clause 5(f). They view this issue as not merely a procedural disagreement but a matter of broader principle of collegial governance at the university.

UTAG-KNUST warned that allowing the position of academic staff to be sidelined in the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans could set a precedent that would affect other areas of university governance. The Association rejected the notion that the university's strategic plan could override its statutory framework. They stated that while a strategic plan, although crucial, is only expected to last about ten years, whereas the statute governing the university is measured in decades.

UTAG-KNUST requested the University Council to consider four key issues, including the statutory basis of its membership under Act 1157, Clause 5(f), and the democratic rights that stem from this provision. They also sought recognition of members' right to a genuine vote in the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans. The Association emphasized the importance of clarity on the relationship between the university's statutes and its strategic plan, insisting that the latter should not supersede the former.

They also highlighted the need to preserve collegial governance as a defining feature of KNUST. Despite escalating the dispute, UTAG-KNUST reiterated its commitment to dialogue and approached their engagement with the Council in good faith. They promised to continue preferring dialogue, approaching engagements with respect for all stakeholders, and maintaining a united position among members.

UTAG-KNUST urged members to maintain unity, discuss the matter within their departments and faculties, remain patient, and refer individual approaches from Management to the Association's executives to ensure consistency in their position. The letter was forwarded to the University Council, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, and the National UTAG Executive.