TEWU-GH Calls on UEW Management Over Car Maintenance Allowance Withdrawal
The Tertiary Education Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU-GH) has called on the management of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), to intervene in the ongoing disagreement over the withdrawal of car maintenance allowances for junior staff in public universities.
The matter, which has sparked discontent among affected employees, was a key agenda item during TEWU-GH’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at UEW on Monday, 3rd March, 2025.
Led by Mr. Sulemana Abdul-Rahman, National Chairman of TEWU-GH, the delegation paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor of UEW, Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, to formally announce their presence and highlight pressing concerns on the allowance withdrawal.
Mr. Abdul-Rahman expressed disappointment over a directive from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) instructing institutions to halt the payment of car maintenance allowances to junior staff, despite an earlier ruling by the National Labour Commission (NLC) directing its continued disbursement.
“We are shocked to see another communique from GTEC contradicting the NLC directive. We believe the NLC’s position supersedes any other directive, and we urge management to ensure compliance to avoid further disruptions,” Mr. Abdul-Rahman stated.
Providing historical context, Mr. Inusah, University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) Local Chairman of TEWU-GH, recounted that the issue had been a point of contention since a previous strike involving multiple unions, including the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), Senior Staff Association – Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), and TEWU-GH. He emphasised that the allowance had been negotiated as part of conditions of service, and there was no explicit provision restricting it to senior staff.
Mr. Charles Arthur, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Local Chairman of TEWU-GH, challenged the legitimacy of GTEC’s directive, questioning the applicability of public service regulations to public universities. He recalled that in 2016, Vice-Chancellors of public universities rejected a similar attempt to withdraw the allowance and called on current university heads to take a firm stand.
In response, Prof. Mitchual acknowledged the workers’ concerns and urged TEWU-GH to formally petition Vice-Chancellors Ghana (VCG) for a collective response. “As universities, we cherish the welfare of our workers, and anything that affects you naturally affects us. If a worker is not happy, why should I be happy? We will support your cause within the legal limits,” he assured.
However, he cautioned against immediate strike action, citing Ghana’s current economic difficulties. “We must engage government constructively. Strikes should be the last resort,” he advised, adding that he believes the government is willing to listen to workers’ concerns.
Mrs. Wilhelmina Tete-Mensah, Acting Registrar of UEW, echoed similar sentiments, acknowledging that while GTEC is a regulatory body, universities must collectively address such issues through proper channels. “It is unfortunate that something you were enjoying has been withdrawn. We sympathise with you, and we will support you in seeking a resolution,” she said.
The meeting concluded with TEWU-GH reiterating its commitment to advocating for fair treatment of university workers while awaiting the necessary interventions from university management and government authorities.
