Labour expert Austin Gamey has praised the resolution of the recent labour dispute between the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), which had led to a two-month strike.
The strike, which disrupted academic activities across all 46 colleges of education in Ghana, was sparked by delays in implementing an arbitral award and negotiating conditions of service.
However, on August 19, following a series of negotiations, the government and CETAG reached an agreement, suspending the strike.
In an interview with Asaase News, Gamey expressed relief at the resolution and emphasized the importance of learning from the situation.
“I’m happy that they have eventually agreed to go back to work, and I hope and pray that lessons have been learned and we will not repeat this kind of error,” he said.
Gamey also acknowledged the efforts of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, stating, “In every country, any government that takes the activities of labour for granted does so at its peril. I pray that it will never be done that way again.”
Humphry Assem Darkeh, a member of CETAG at the Wesley College of Education, indicated that the final decision on resuming academic activities would depend on a meeting of CETAG’s highest decision-making body later in the day.
“The team representing CETAG will return and report to the council. Council will look into the agreement that has been signed and decide whether to call off the strike or not,” Darkeh said.
The dispute resolution marks a significant step towards restoring normalcy in Ghana’s education sector and highlights the importance of timely and effective negotiation in resolving labour disputes.
