Tensions are mounting at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) following a sharp disagreement between the local University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG-KNUST) and university management over the selection process for Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Deans.
The dispute stems from a September 9, 2026 Academic Board meeting where management moved to alter the appointment framework for key administrative roles.
The decision overruled a resolution passed by UTAG-KNUST during an emergency meeting on August 21, 2026, where members voted overwhelmingly to maintain the status quo until a mutually agreed framework could be established.
In a update issued on September 10, 2026, signed by UTAG-KNUST President Prof. Eric Kwabena Kyeh Abavare and Secretary Prof. Akwasi Afrifa Acheampong, the association called the outcome disappointing and warned that bypassing the academic body undermines decades of institutional tradition.
Statutory Rights vs. Strategic Plans:
UTAG-KNUST argues that the controversy extends far beyond basic administrative procedures, touching on the core principles of shared governance:
Legal Mandate:
The association maintains that member participation in selecting academic leadership is guaranteed under Act 1157, Clause 5(f), which protects university membership and democratic rights.
Precedent Concerns:
Leadership warned that allowing management to unilaterally alter appointment procedures creates a dangerous precedent that could systematically erode the collegial voice of academic staff across other university operations.
Statutory Authority:
UTAG-KNUST rejected arguments aligning the changes with the university’s long-term vision, stating that a 10-year strategic plan cannot legally displace university statutes designed to last for decades.
Institutional Tradition:
The association emphasized that a direct vote in selecting leaders has been standard practice throughout KNUST’s 75-year history.
Petitions:
UTAG-KNUST outline four core issues for immediate review by the University Council:
Statutory Integrity:
Reaffirming the statutory basis of membership under Act 1157, Clause 5(f).
Voting Rights:
Restoring members’ right to a direct vote in appointing Pro-VCs and Deans.
Legal Hierarchy:
Clarifying that strategic plans must operate within the boundaries of university statutes, not override them.
Collegial Governance:
Protecting shared decision-making as a foundational feature of KNUST.
Potential Industrial Action:
While UTAG-KNUST plans to formally petition the University Council for a reconsidered framework through dialogue, leadership signaled that it is prepared to escalate the matter.
Should management fail to address these concerns, the union warned it will explore all legal options available under its constitution and national labor laws.
Directives to Members:
Channel all management inquiries directly through union executives and speak with a unified voice.
Internal Engagement:
Discuss the dispute actively across all departments and faculties.
Readiness:
Remain patient while standing by for further directives from leadership.
“Whatever process Management adopts to appoint Pro-Vice-Chancellors or Deans must include a genuine role for the key stakeholders who will work with, and be led by, those officers… This is not an unusual request; it is the ordinary practice of our university community that has existed for 75 years.”
Meanwhile, copies of the official letter were served to the Chairman of the KNUST Council, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, and the UTAG National Executive.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/ Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.
