Ghana Public University Students Uncertain As UTAG Remains Adamant On Strike Action

The fate of students in public universities remains uncertain as the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) continues to deliberate on whether to call of the strike or otherwise.

This is despite the directive from the National Labour Commission (NLC) last Thursday that the association should call off the “illegal industrial action” and return to the classroom.

The NLC last Thursday declared the UTAG industrial action as illegal for which reason they should call it off and return to the classroom.

The directive was issued after a meeting between representatives of the Commission, UTAG, the government and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission over the strike which started last week.

The National President of UTAG, Prof. Solomon Nunoo, in an interview with the Ghanaian media said since the NLC gave the directive, members of the association had been discussing the next line of action.

Prof. Nunoo said until the series of meetings ongoing among the UTAG constituents on various campuses end and a consensus was reached, the association would not announce any decision on the strike.

On the engagement with the government and other stakeholders on their concerns, Prof. Nunoo said they were yet to receive any invitation from the government for any discussion.

He said although some people have expressed the view that the strike was unfair to their students, it was equally unfair to the lecturers who had been denied what was due them.

Investigations reveal that some public universities across the country showed that students were still on their own, uncertain about when the semester would begin.

Calm and tranquility continue to fill the lecture halls of the University of Ghana (UG), Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Health and Allied Sciences( UHAS), Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies ( SDD-UBIDS).

The university teachers have been on strike since Monday to drum home their demand for the government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012/2013, which pegs the salary of an entry-level lecturer at $2,084.42.

According to the association, the decision was taken due to the failure of the employer to address the plight of UTAG members within the agreed timelines despite several assurances.