Four labour unions at the University of Ghana are demanding an immediate halt to plans to outsource campus security services to a private firm, Possibility Security.
The unions marched through the university grounds to petition the management on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, protesting what they describe as a lack of consultation over the proposed arrangement.
The unions are the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG), the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSAoUG) and the Public Universities Drivers and Unionized Staff Association of Ghana (PUDUSAG).
They argue that management should prioritise improving workers’ conditions of service and providing adequate resources to existing security personnel rather than outsourcing the operations.
TEWU Chairman, Benjamin Nkumsah, warned that the unions would resist the move if management failed to address their concerns.
He maintained that despite limited personnel, the university’s existing security team was performing effectively, urging management to invest in motivating and strengthening the team.
“Some of the things that we hear on the university campus, you say somebody has raped somebody, somebody has stolen somebody’s things, all those things, can you hear that as media? No. You don’t hear, even though we don’t have the numbers, but the little number that they have, they are doing very well, so that’s why we are saying that if you have those resources that you say you don’t have, to rather pay private, use those resources to motivate them and make sure that they do, they perform well. We are hoping that before Friday, something good must come out of this. If not, we advise ourselves.”
Vice-Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of the University of Ghana, Philip Odei, said the unions were concerned that the proposed outsourcing could threaten the job security of existing personnel.
He called for guarantees that no employee would be displaced or rendered redundant without consultation, while urging management to respect labour laws and collective agreements.
“The unions demand assurance that no employee will be displaced or rendered redundant without consultation, adherence to labour laws, and respect for their collective agreements. We are also suspecting that it is a carefully designed plan to phase out the regular security that we have. The joint unions demand an immediate halt to the outsourcing process. We request an urgent meeting with management to discuss comprehensively its financial implications.”
Receiving the petition on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar of the University, Michael Opare Atuah assured the unions that management would review their concerns and engage them as necessary.
“On behalf of the Vice-Chancellor who received this petition, I will convey your message to her and make sure that this petition gets to her. Management has taken note of your consent and management will look at the petition and address them and engage as necessary.”
The unions maintain that the outsourcing process must be suspended until their concerns are addressed, setting the stage for further engagement with university management over the future of campus security services.
By Beatrice Sowah
