The Tertiary Education Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU-GH) has strongly criticised recent comments made by the Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, regarding the union's participation in university governing councils.

Speaking to Kumasi FM’s Elisha Adarkwah, Mr. Charles Arthur, Local Chairman of TEWU-GH at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), described Mr. Ansah’s comments as “biased” and uninformed.

Mr. Ansah had vowed to resist any attempt to grant TEWU-GH representation on the councils, a stance Mr. Arthur believes undermines fair representation and the principles of organised labour.

According to Mr. Arthur, Mr. Ansah’s position appears to ignore the fact that, as head of Organised Labour in addition to being TUC General-Secretary, he is expected to maintain neutrality in matters involving different unions.

Referencing Section 112 of Ghana’s Labour Act, Mr. Arthur explained that Organised Labour is part of the Tripartite Committee, which includes all recognised labour unions, employers’ associations, and the government.

As such, he said, Mr. Ansah should represent the collective interests of all unions, not just those affiliated with the TUC.

He further argued that TEWU-GH, which is not under the TUC umbrella, has a significantly larger membership than its counterpart TEWU-TUC, particularly at KNUST, and thus deserves rightful representation on the university’s governing council.

Mr. Arthur urged Mr. Ansah to seek a better understanding of the ongoing tensions between TEWU-GH and TEWU-TUC before making public declarations.

He warned that failure to recognise TEWU-GH on the councils, as mandated by law, could lead to serious unrest across the country’s universities, with KNUST being a potential flashpoint.