The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has warned that the ongoing disagreement over the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans could have wider implications for collegial governance at the university.
The Association has escalated the matter to the University Council after rejecting a decision by the Academic Board at its September 9, 2026 meeting, which it said failed to address concerns over the existing appointment process.
In a letter to members dated September 10, UTAG-KNUST leadership said it would formally petition the University Council to reconsider the decision and address what it considers fundamental concerns about the participation of academic staff in the appointment of senior academic leaders.
The Association’s President, Prof. Eric Kwabena Kyeh Abavare, and Secretary, Prof. Akwasi Afrifa Acheampong, described the Academic Board’s decision as “deeply disappointing.”
According to UTAG-KNUST, its position has consistently been that the current appointment process should remain in place until a mutually acceptable framework is developed by the relevant stakeholders.
Governance at the centre of dispute
The Association said the disagreement goes beyond the mechanics of appointing Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans, arguing that it touches on the broader principle of collegial governance.
It cited Act 1157, Clause 5(f), as the statutory basis for its demand for meaningful participation in decisions affecting the leadership of academic staff.
“This is more than a procedural disagreement,” the Association said.
UTAG-KNUST expressed concern that excluding academic staff from the appointment process could establish a precedent with consequences for other areas of university governance.
It also challenged any interpretation that the university’s strategic plan could supersede its statutory framework.
“A strategic plan, however important it is, and with an expected life span of about ten years, cannot properly override a statute whose life span is measured in decades,” the Association said.
Four issues before Council
UTAG-KNUST said it would ask the University Council to consider four main issues as it seeks a resolution to the dispute.
They include the statutory basis of UTAG’s membership under Act 1157, Clause 5(f), and the democratic rights the Association believes arise from that provision.
The Association is also seeking recognition of academic staff members’ right to have a genuine vote in the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans.
It wants clarification on the relationship between KNUST’s statutes and its strategic plan, particularly whether the strategic plan can be used to alter established governance arrangements.
The preservation of collegial governance as a defining feature of KNUST is the fourth major concern outlined by the Association.
UTAG keeps door open for dialogue
Despite taking the matter to the University Council, UTAG-KNUST said it remained committed to resolving the issue through dialogue.
“We will continue to prefer dialogue, and approach these engagements in good faith and with the respect due to sister stakeholders,” the Association said.
It maintained that any appointment framework adopted by Management should give key stakeholders a genuine role in selecting officers with whom they would work and who would ultimately lead them.
UTAG-KNUST said such participation was consistent with established practice at the university.
The Association has meanwhile urged its members to remain united, engage in discussions within their departments and faculties, and exercise patience while remaining prepared to take further action if necessary.
Members have also been advised to refer individual approaches from Management concerning the matter to the Association’s executives to ensure that UTAG-KNUST maintains a consistent position.
The letter was copied to the Chairman of the University Council, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar and the National UTAG Executive.
The University Council is now expected to consider the Association’s request as the disagreement over the appointment process enters a new phase.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
