Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu Pledges September Payment for TUTAG Research Allowance Following Strike Threat

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has assured the Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) that the 2025/2026 Book and Research Allowance will be disbursed by the end of September 2026. This commitment follows a seven-day ultimatum issued by the association on September 15, in which they threatened to withdraw their services if the long-overdue payments were not settled. The Minister clarified that the government has initiated the payment process, with data for approximately 8,000 eligible members already forwarded to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department for processing. Under the current timeline, some members are expected to receive their allowances alongside their September salaries, although the Minister noted that processing for all members might not be completed simultaneously due to ongoing data verification. TUTAG leaders, including President Prof. Deodat Emilson Adenutsi and General Secretary Dr. Francis Fonyee Nutsugah, have emphasized that the delay is unacceptable, as the allowance is essential for supporting lecturers in their academic responsibilities, research, and the procurement of teaching materials. They pointed out that with many technical universities having concluded their 2025/2026 academic years between June and August, the continued delay forces lecturers to incur personal expenses for professional duties, undermining the very purpose of the fund. The association's demand for immediate action from the Ministries of Finance and Education reflects broader concerns regarding the financial strain on academic staff in the tertiary sector. While the Minister's assurance provides a temporary reprieve, the threat of industrial action remains a possibility if the September deadline is not met. The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) remains central to the finalization of the data processing required to ensure all eligible staff are captured in the payment cycle. This development highlights the recurring challenges in the timely disbursement of statutory allowances within Ghana’s education sector and the potential for disruption in technical universities if the government fails to fulfill its latest promise.