We’re losing professionals due to worsening conditions of service – GAUA tells gov’t

The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) says worsening conditions of service in Ghana’s public universities are driving away professionals who previously found the sector attractive.

General Secretary of GAUA, Charles Kwadwo Aidoo, said the association was increasingly struggling to attract and retain professionals across various fields, with some positions now going unfilled despite repeated recruitment efforts.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Aidoo said the situation had become particularly concerning because universities depend on professionals from several disciplines to effectively operate.

He said the association’s membership includes medical doctors, pharmacists, laboratory professionals, lawyers, chartered accountants, finance directors, architects, surveyors, human resource professionals, registrars and other managerial and professional staff.

However, he said deteriorating conditions of service were making university appointments less appealing to these professionals.

“We are losing a lot of our professionals due to the conditions of service. They are becoming worse,” he said.

Mr Aidoo said the university sector was previously an attractive destination for professionals, but that situation was changing, with some highly skilled professionals now declining appointments.

“It used to be attractive to all these professionals. Now doctors don’t even accept appointments,” he said.

He said the challenge was also evident in the recruitment of senior and top-level managerial personnel, where universities sometimes advertise vacancies but struggle to attract suitable candidates.

“We advertise for senior and top managerial roles but don’t even get people,” he said.

According to Mr Aidoo, the inability to attract and retain professionals could have serious implications for the effective administration and delivery of services in Ghana’s public universities.

He said the concerns formed part of the broader issues GAUA had repeatedly raised with government and were among the reasons members had resorted to industrial action.

Also read:

• The cheating has been there for too long, we’re not happy – GAUA says…

• We’ve been measured in our decision – GAUA says as it resumes strike action