University of Ghana postpones reopening for 2026/2027 academic year

Dr. George Smith-Graham, CEO of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), expressed surprise at the ongoing strike by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) despite signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Commission. During an interview on the JoyNews AM Show on October 12, Dr. Smith-Graham confirmed that salary negotiations with GAUA were completed and the organization had been compensated.

However, the Commission agreed to further discussions to address GAUA's concerns about salary disparities.

The Chief Executive Officer noted that the government is prioritizing efforts to rectify disparities within the Single Spine Salary Structure, with the FWSC and the Ministry of Finance collaborating to address these inequalities across public sector institutions. The FWSC had concluded negotiations with 58 institutions, including GAUA, as part of this broader initiative.

Dr. Smith-Graham attributed GAUA's decision to continue striking to its perception that the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) had secured a more favorable deal during its negotiations with the government. He stated that GAUA became dissatisfied after learning of UTAG's more advantageous terms and subsequently declared a strike.

The CEO revealed that GAUA representatives had visited his office approximately a week prior, where both parties signed an MoU to facilitate further discussions on the association's concerns. Dr. Smith-Graham emphasized that the agreement to explore additional proposals did not negate the earlier negotiations, and he expected GAUA to halt its strike following this understanding.

However, Dr. Smith-Graham was taken aback when he learned on Friday that GAUA had not ended its strike, despite signing the MoU. He lamented that the industrial action persisted even after the agreement to allow the Commission time to review GAUA's proposals. The FWSC CEO reiterated that the Commission would examine GAUA's proposals and respond by the end of October, while maintaining that the prior negotiations had been concluded and the agreed payments had been made.