Professor Vera Ogeh Fiador, National President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), has refuted claims that the union delights in industrial action, stressing that strikes are a desperate measure resorted to only when government fails to respond to negotiations.
Speaking on Campus Exclusive on Radio Univers on October 8, 2025, Professor Fiador clarified what she called the “nuance” behind the union’s actions, stating: “UTAG doesn’t strike for the sake of striking.”
According to her, strikes are always a last resort, triggered only after government neglects legitimate concerns and negotiation points. She explained that the union is often left with no alternative, as strikes are “sometimes a way of registering extreme displeasure.”
Professor Fiador dismissed the perception that UTAG members welcome the enforced break that comes with industrial action.
“When we go on strike, the work waits for us. It doesn’t take any of our work away. If anything, we are forced to do a year’s work in nine months or even six months. That’s super stress on us,” she emphasized.
She also criticized the media, arguing that public narratives often miss the underlying issues.
“Half of the time, unfortunately, the media highlights only the strike but hardly probes why we got to that point,” she said.
Professor Fiador concluded by urging both the public and the press to look beyond the “noise” surrounding strikes and instead focus on addressing the root causes.
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Story by Wilhemina Dushie | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah