The National Labour Commission (NLC) has dealt a decisive legal blow to the industrial action paralysing Ghana’s public universities, securing an interlocutory injunction from the High Court on Friday, 13th February 2026.
The court order compels the leadership and members of four major tertiary unions to immediately suspend their indefinite strike, which has disrupted academic calendars, registration processes, and administrative services nationwide since early February.
The injunction directly affects the Senior Staff Association – Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU of TUC), the Federation of University Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Technical Universities Administrators Association of Ghana (TUAAG).
At the heart of the dispute is a contentious shift in compensation policy.
The unions launched their strike on Tuesday, 3rd February 2026, accusing the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) of a “unilateral breach” of a 2021 agreement.
Specifically, the unions are protesting the replacement of traditional overtime allowances, which historically provided double-time pay for weekends, with a flat “call-in allowance” equivalent to 10% of basic salary.
While the FWSC maintains that senior staff have only been entitled to call-in allowances under the Single Spine Pay Policy since 2010, the unions argue that a signed 2021 pact specifically protected their overtime rights.
The unions’ core grievances:
- Pension Arrears: Non-remittance of Tier Two pension contributions for at least five months.
- Allowance Alteration: The forced migration from overtime pay to the lower call-in allowance.
- UniMAC Arrears: Unpaid salary differences following the merger of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) and other institutes into the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC).
In a move to de-escalate the tension, Minister of Education Haruna Iddrisu revealed on 10th February that the government has disbursed GH¢396 million to clear a significant portion of Tier Two pension arrears.
The minister further disclosed that an additional GH¢600 million is currently being processed by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to bring the debt to near-closure.
Despite this, union leaders had initially remained resolute, citing “bad faith” in the negotiations. The NLC, however, argued that the strike was illegal because it was declared while mediation was still active, a violation of Section 160 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
“The Commission hereby directs the striking workers to call off the ongoing strike with immediate effect to pave the way for further discussions on their issues. Until the strike is called off, the substantive issues cannot be heard,” the NLC stated in a prior directive that preceded the court action.
The High Court order now places the union executives under strict legal obligation to return to work or face charges of contempt.
The NLC has reiterated its commitment to a “harmonious industrial relations environment”, insisting that the law prohibits industrial action during an ongoing hearing process.
With the court’s intervention and the government’s partial payment of the debt, the Ministry of Education expects a full resumption of services by Monday morning.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com