UCC postpones re-opening indefinitely

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has postponed its reopening indefinitely, following the continued strike by lecturers in the public universities over the non-payment of their book and research allowances.

A statement signed by the registrar of the university and posted on the official website of the UCC, titled, “Postponement of Reopening Date for the 2014/2015 Academic Year”, stated, “It is hereby announced for the information of all fresh and continuing students of the University of Cape Coast, as well as the general public, that due to circumstances beyond the control of the University Management, the reopening date of the university for the 2014/2015 academic year has been postponed indefinitely.”

It asked students to check the electronic and the print media, as well as the UCC website, for updates.

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), on Thursday, July 24, 2014, declared an indefinite strike over the non-payment of their book and research allowances.

According to UTAG, the decision to strike was necessitated by what it considered government’s deliberate attempt to unduly delay the payment of its book and research allowances.

The National President of UTAG, Dr Samuel Ofori-Bekoe, at a press conference, insisted that the members would call off the strike only if the allowances of lecturers were paid and they were assured that the book and research allowance would also not be scrapped.

At the biennial conference of the Ghana Science Association held on the UCC campus yesterday, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Nelson Buah, who chaired the conference, had to leave the programme before it ended to attend an emergency meeting to decide whether or not the university would open on the scheduled date.