UTAG-KNUST Dispute Escalates Over Pro-VC, Dean Appointments

• UTAG-KNUST described the Academic Board's September 9, 2026 decision on the appointment process as deeply disappointing
• The Association cited Act 1157, Clause 5(f), as the statutory basis for its demand for meaningful participation in leadership appointments
• UTAG-KNUST urged members to maintain a united front while it formally petitioned the University Council for reconsideration

The University Teachers Association of Ghana at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has taken up its ongoing dispute over the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans to the University Council, after the Academic Board failed to uphold its position at a meeting on September 9, 2026.

In a letter to members dated September 10, signed by Association President Prof. Eric Kwabena Kyeh Abavare and Secretary Prof. Akwasi Afrifa Acheampong, UTAG-KNUST announced it would formally petition the University Council to urgently reconsider the matter.

The core of the UTAG-KNUST dispute

At the heart of the Association's grievance is its insistence that the existing appointment process should remain in place until a mutually acceptable framework is reached.

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UTAG-KNUST, according to a September 10, 2026 report by Joy News, argues its right to meaningful participation in leadership appointments is grounded in Act 1157, Clause 5(f), and that the issue goes beyond procedure.

"This is more than a procedural disagreement," the Association stated, warning that sidelining academic staff in such appointments could set a damaging precedent for other areas of university governance.

The Association also pushed back against the suggestion that the university's strategic plan should take precedence over 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 letter read.

Four key issues for the University Council

UTAG-KNUST has outlined several specific matters it wants the University Council to address.

These cover the statutory basis of its membership under Act 1157, Clause 5(f), the democratic rights arising from that provision, members' right to a genuine vote in the appointment of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans, and the need to clarify that the university's strategic plan cannot displace its statutes.

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The preservation of collegial governance as a defining feature of KNUST also features prominently among its concerns.

Despite the escalation, the Association maintained that dialogue remains its preferred approach.

"We will continue to prefer dialogue, and approach these engagements in good faith and with the respect due to sister stakeholders," the letter stated.

Members were urged to discuss the matter within their departments and faculties, maintain a united position, and direct any individual approaches from Management to the Association's executives.

The letter was copied to the Chairman of the University Council, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, and the National UTAG Executive.

The Facebook post below provides more details on the UTAG-KNUST dispute.

KNUST 2026/27 cut-off aggregates by programme

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) released the cut-off aggregates for all its colleges for the 2026/27 admissions cycle, with figures now circulating widely on social media following a post by Voice of KNUST.

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The data covers programmes across the university's colleges, giving prospective students a clearer picture of the entry requirements they must meet to secure admission.

Within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, BSc. Agribusiness Management and BSc. Packaging Technology carry the lowest cut-off aggregates at 15, making them among the more accessible programmes in the college. BSc. Agricultural Biotechnology and BSc. Landscape Design and Management both require an aggregate of 17, while BSc.

Source: YEN.com.gh