In Ghana, the autonomy of universities is not just a lofty principle; it is the foundation of academic freedom, quality education and institutional integrity. Yet, as the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana, University of Ghana branch (UTAG-UG), confronts the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) with demands for accountability, a troubling silence echoes across other UTAG branches. This is not just a delay in solidarity; it is a dereliction that risks the very core of higher education. With January 31, 2026, looming, a self-imposed deadline for the resignation of GTEC Director-General Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai and his Deputy, Prof. Augustine Ocloo, the pressing question is unavoidable: where are the other UTAG branches, and why have they not joined this critical battle for institutional integrity?
Expert Perspective, Legitimacy of UTAG-UG’s Actions
Professor (Dr. Dr. Dr.) Joseph Kwasi Agyemang, Extraordinary Professor of Accounting Sciences at the University of South Africa and Head of Accounting and Finance at the University of Eswatini, provides an authoritative voice. He frames UTAG-UG’s actions not as arbitrary demands but as legitimate steps to enforce accountability over alleged mismanagement and overreach by GTEC. According to him, the association has several avenues: petitioning the Office of the Chief of Staff, seeking legislative intervention under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), or pursuing judicial review. These steps are legal, measured and designed to protect both staff and students from administrative dysfunction.
Yet, while UTAG-UG mobilizes, the silence of sister branches is deafening. Their absence communicates either apathy, fear, or tacit consent to a creeping administrative overreach that threatens university autonomy. When a regulatory body becomes adversarial, it undermines not only institutional authority but also the academic experiences of thousands of students.
The Threat to University Autonomy
GTEC’s alleged transformation from a regulatory body into an interventionist overseer cannot be dismissed lightly. Academic staff are witnessing bottlenecks in recruitment, disruptions in funding and constant interference in institutional decision-making. The mechanisms designed to ensure educational quality now threaten it. Professor Agyemang emphasizes that UTAG-UG’s concerns are grounded in protecting students and preserving the academic calendar.
“UTAG-UG has legitimate grounds to seek judicial review of GTEC directives, including those on lecturer retirement”, he noted. By pressing for clarity through legislative instruments and formal petitions, the association acts to safeguard education, not score political points. Yet the silence of other UTAG branches weakens this effort. A fractured association diminishes negotiation leverage, emboldens overreach and risks normalizing bureaucratic interference. University autonomy is not just a slogan; it is essential for the proper functioning of institutions and any compromise threatens the system as a whole.
Dialogue and Mediation
Dialogue remains an option but is now fraught with challenges. Prof. Agyemang is clear: UTAG-UG has lost confidence in the current leadership of GTEC. Prior collaborative attempts have reportedly been ignored, leaving mediation through higher authorities, such as the Ministry of Education, as the only viable path. Without such intervention, the dispute risks escalation, including legal battles and potential legislative action.
Such measures are not aggressive; they are corrective, intended to clarify roles, responsibilities and limits of power. Silence from other branches at this juncture amounts to abandoning students, faculty and the future of Ghanaian academia to administrative neglect. The stakes extend beyond personnel disputes. University autonomy is structural: when lecturers cannot freely participate in governance, when councils’ decisions are overridden and when academic priorities are subordinated to bureaucracy, the quality of education suffers. UTAG-UG’s insistence on accountability is about defending institutional frameworks, not personal grievances.
The Cost of Silence
The silence of other UTAG branches undermines the collective bargaining power that has historically protected Ghanaian academics. A fragmented association weakens advocacy, diminishes leverage, and signals to regulatory bodies that enforcement and interference will meet minimal resistance. In effect, inaction risks institutionalizing a precedent where oversight is replaced by overreach, a dangerous shift with long-term consequences for governance in higher education.
Professor Agyemang underscores the urgency of operationalizing the Legislative Instrument under Act 1023. Without a clear legal framework defining and limiting GTEC’s powers, recurring conflicts are inevitable. Such legislation would establish boundaries, prevent arbitrary interference and provide a legal safety net for institutions, faculty and students alike. UTAG-UG’s proactive stance is, therefore, necessary, not reactionary. For meaningful impact, the movement requires solidarity. The silence of other branches is a glaring omission in what should be a nationwide campaign to safeguard education.
Professional courage, not fear or apathy, is now required. UTAG branches elsewhere face a clear choice: align with their UG colleagues in asserting accountability or retreat into passivity and risk complicity in the erosion of university autonomy.
Call to Action
As January 31 approaches, Ghana’s universities teeter at a critical juncture. UTAG-UG’s demands are precise, justified and time-bound. The onus now lies with other branches to rise from silence, join the advocacy for accountability and reinforce the principle that university autonomy is non-negotiable. The future of Ghanaian higher education depends on their willingness to speak out and act. Silence is not neutral; it is corrosive.
If other UTAG branches fail to respond, history may remember them not as neutral observers but as enablers of overreach and mediocrity. Ghanaian academic institutions cannot afford such a legacy. In defending their colleagues at the University of Ghana, these branches have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to defend the principles that make universities credible, autonomous, and effective. The clock is ticking. January 31 is more than a deadline; it is a test of collective resolve, professional courage, and commitment to the future of education. In this fight, inaction is no longer an option and silence is complicity.
The writer is a journalist, journalism educator and member of GJA, IRE and AJEN.
