UTAG-UG gives gov’t October 20 ultimatum to avert strike over unpaid allowances
The University of Ghana branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-UG) has given the government until Tuesday, October 20, 2026, to demonstrate its commitment to paying lecturers’ Book and Research Allowances (BRA) or risk a possible strike.
The association had earlier threatened to withdraw its members’ teaching services from October 19 if the allowances were not paid by October 16.
However, UTAG-UG President, Dr Jerry Joe Harrison, says the association is giving the government additional time following assurances from the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department that payment would be made by the end of Monday, October 19.
Dr Harrison said the association would assess the government’s actions before deciding whether to proceed with the planned industrial action.
“After we announced our decision to embark on strike, there have been some movements. You know that the Controller says he’s willing to pay, so if you’re willing to pay, then let’s see what actions the Controller is taking that mean that he’s going to pay,” he said.
He explained that the association wanted to see concrete steps towards settling the outstanding allowances before making a final decision.
“We are giving ourselves a day to see what concrete actions are going to be taken, and then, based on that, we take the next action,” he added.
Dr Harrison said UTAG-UG had engaged the government on the matter and was waiting to see the outcome of the discussions before deciding on its next move.
“There are a few things that need to happen today, so we are giving ourselves today and tomorrow to see what happens before taking a decision. We’ve had some engagement with government; because of that we haven’t declared another strike, so we are waiting today, tomorrow to see what happens,” he said speaking on Citi News.
The association’s latest position offers the government a further opportunity to address the outstanding payments and avert disruption to teaching and learning at the university.
Meanwhile, the University of Ghana has reopened for the 2026/2027 academic year, with students settling into their halls of residence.
Lectures are scheduled to resume on Monday, October 26, 2026, leaving the government and the association with a short period to resolve the allowance dispute before academic activities begin.
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