National executives of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) will on Tuesday hold an emergency meeting in Accra to decide whether to declare strike following government’s failure to meet the deadline to pay their 2017/2018 book and research allowance.
The Association gave a July 31 deadline after several pleas to government to settle the allowance failed.
But the government again failed to meet the deadline; something which pushed members of UTAG to hold emergency meetings at their various campuses across the country to deliberate on the issue.
Read: Delays in payment of book and research allowance ‘worrying’ – UTAG
“.. .What our members are saying is that the National Executive Committee (NEC) should declare a strike,†immediate past president of UTAG, Dr Harry Agbanu, said TV3 Midday Live on Monday.
He said in view of the calls by the members across the country, the NEC is scheduled to meet on August 7 4:00pm at University of Ghana on the way forward.
At a news conference in Cape Coast on July 25, UTAG said the Ministry of Finance’ refusal to respond to their letter is indicative of the condescending treatment UTAG has received from government over the years with respect to the payment of the book and research allowances.
“Following the lackadaisical attitude of government, UTAG wrote to the ministry of finance on the 7th of July 2018 about the need to make payment by 16th July 2018 to forestall agitations,†National President of UTAG Dr. Eric Opoku Mensah he stated at the press conference.
Speaking earlier on 3FM’s Sunrise morning show, Dr. Agbanu said the Association does not have issues with the Ministry of Education because it has done everything possible to ensure the allowance is paid, saying “we have no issues with the Ministry of Education.
Read: UTAG threatens to strike next week over unpaid allowance
Rather, he accused the Ministry of Finance of the situation that they find themselves.
“Let me make it clear that the Ministry of Education is as disappointed as UTAG is because the Ministry of Education has done everything humanly possible to get this monies paid. It is the Ministry of Finance that is misbehaving so to speak,†Dr. Agbanu stated.
He noted that though the association did not decide on a strike previously, the same cannot be said of now as all their members are furious and have called for a strike.
Source: 3news.com
