The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has suspended its ongoing strike.

The association has directed its members across public universities to restore teaching and other related activities effective, Monday, 23 August 2021.

UTAG, in a statement, however, said a “suspended strike” is not the same as a “called-off strike” and, therefore, they will be monitoring if every word stated in a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between them and the National Labour Commission (NLC) and other stakeholders are upheld in the stated one-month period.

UTAG members have been on strike since the beginning of August 2021 over their conditions of service.

Meanwhile, the NLC has also withdrawn its lawsuit against UTAG, following an agreement between the two bodies to resolve their impasse amicably.

The NLC dragged UTAG to court praying the court to order the university teachers to return to the lecture halls after the lecturers embarked on a strike action over their conditions of service.

But in court today, Thursday, 19 August 2021, the lawyer for the NLC, Mr Yehoda Kotey, told the court that a meeting between UTAG, the Employment and Labour Relations Ministry, Education Ministry and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission ended peacefully and all stakeholders involved have agreed to an out-of-court settlement.

Justice Frank Rockson Aboadwe, therefore, struck out the suit.

The agreement reached between UTAG and NLC and other stakeholders are:

1. That both parties (Government and UTAG) agree that there is a need to get back to the negotiating table from the week beginning Monday, August 23, 2021.

2. That a road for negotiation, as agreed at previous consultative meetings between the parties, which imposes a one-month mandatory period beginning 23rd August 2021 for negotiations, shall be signed by both parties;

3. That whilst the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations in conjunction with the NLC is taking steps to discontinue all legal processes against UTAG, UTAG will also take steps to suspend the ongoing strike action;

4. That government acknowledges the need to improve the working conditions of University Teachers and shall treat this will all the seriousness it deserves.