UTAG threatens to strike over unpaid allowance

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike action if the government fails to pay their 2017/2018 Book and Research Allowance by next week.

According to UTAG, the government has not paid its members in spite of the fact that the necessary documents to facilitate payment have been presented to the appropriate institutions.

In a statement signed by the National President of UTAG, Dr Eric Opoku Mensah, several pleas to the government to settle the allowance by July 16 have not been met and the Ministry of Finance has also failed to formally respond to their queries.

“Following the lackadaisical attitude of the government, UTAG on the 7th of July, 2018, wrote to the Minister of Finance and copied other institutions of Government connected with the processing and payment of the BRA about the need to make payment by the 16th of July, 2018 to forestall agitations on our various campuses.

"...For us this is indicative of the condescending treatment UTAG receives from Government over the years with respect to the payment of the BRA. Since this academic year has ended, one, therefore, wonders when the BRA for 2018/2019 Academic year which begins on 1st August 2018 would be paid".

The statement said, the leadership of UTAG, "have so far been able to manage the uneasy tensions on our various campuses, however, the situation is getting out of control and we may be forced to take a decision we have been avoiding all this while if Government fails to pay the BRA by 31st July 2018".

UTAG also informed the public and students that it was not to be blamed if the next academic calendar was disrupted.

"UTAG wants to reiterate the fact that it is committed to delivering quality education in Ghana public universities but would not countenance the insensitivity and unnecessary delay with respect to addressing its concerns".