By: Celestine Avi and Seth Eyiah
President John Dramani Mahama has engaged the leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) on concerns over lecturers’ welfare, research funding, recruitment, conditions of service and challenges confronting Ghana’s tertiary education sector.
The delegation, led by UTAG President, Professor Vera Ogeh Fiador, called on the President at the Jubilee House on Thursday, November 12, 2026, to present issues affecting university teachers as well as matters of national importance.
Among the concerns raised were the establishment of a National Research Fund, the Book and Research Allowance, the retirement age of university lecturers, recruitment and emoluments, as well as the association’s demand for the removal of the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
UTAG also called for import duty exemptions on vehicles and research equipment for its members and highlighted the need for additional student hostel facilities on public university campuses.
The discussions further touched on illegal small-scale mining, the ongoing Constitutional Review Commission process and the state of the economy.
The Minister for Education reaffirmed government’s commitment to academic freedom, assuring UTAG that the administration’s priority is to provide the necessary infrastructure and support to enhance the quality of tertiary education.
He also updated the delegation on the work of an arbitration panel chaired by his Deputy, Dr Clement Apaak, to resolve the disagreement between UTAG and the GTEC Director-General.
President Mahama disclosed that government intends to partner the private sector to construct student hostels on public university campuses as part of efforts to address the accommodation deficit.
On recruitment and financial clearance, he explained that the tight compensation budget places constraints on new public sector appointments, requiring the Finance Minister to carefully manage financial clearance.
The President, however, expressed optimism that the continued expansion of the economy following its recovery would create additional fiscal space to improve conditions of service and address outstanding demands.
On the UTAG-GTEC disagreement, President Mahama called for an amicable resolution, urging both parties to pursue dialogue to settle the impasse.
