Asantehene Assures Amicable Resolution To TEWU Saga

The Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has committed to ensuring an amicable solution to the lingering disagreement involving the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) particularly at his institution.

This was during a send-off event for Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, a former Vice Chancellor of the KNUST, appointed as Ghana’s High Commissioner to India, attended by some staff of the university, including Mr Charles Arthur, KNUST Chairman of TEWU-GH.

Otumfuo said a remedy will soon be put out to resolve the outstanding issue.

“I’ve seen Mr Arthur, of TEWU. The controversy is still there. We are finishing, and we will finish, so we have a solution to the problem.”

Disagreement
There is a disagreement between the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC)-Ghana and TEWU-GH- a breakaway branch of the former- over whose representative gets aboard the university’s Governing Board.

It may be recalled that the TEWU-GH declared an indefinite nationwide strike on July 3, 2025, over TEWU-TUC’s appointment as workers’ representative on university governing councils instead of TEWU-GH.

In a statement, the group said the strike had become its sole option after authorities failed to address its longstanding demands and uphold the “principles of fairness, transparency, and democracy in the governance of tertiary education institutions”.

According to the group, the move is a “blatant disregard” for democratic principles and the rights of the majority union.

“We call for the establishment of a clear, transparent, and democratic process for determining union representation in tertiary education institutions, ensuring that the voice of the majority is respected and reflected in governance structures.”

Meanwhile, TEWU-TUC argues that its 58-year existence positions it as the sole legitimate governing council representative.

It asserts that TEWU-GH has only been in existence for three years after it was formed by some aggrieved executives of its outfit.

Story by Hajara Fuseini