The women commissioner of the Students Representative Council for the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Miss Delali Forgive Setugah has appealed to government and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to compromise and resolve their issues amicably.
According to Miss Delali Forgive Setugah, the timely resolution of the issues, would ensure the continuation of smooth and effective academic work in the affected Universities.
UTAG directed its members to withdraw teaching and related activities with effect from Monday, 10th January, 2022 until further notice.
According to UTAG, the strike action is in response to “the worsening Conditions of Service (CoS) of the University Teacher and the failure of the Employer in addressing the plight of UTAG members within the agreed timelines.”
According to the association, not only has government failed to address the concerns within the agreed timelines, it has also implemented recommendations of a Labour Market Survey (LMS) report in a manner that the association deem meaningless as the implementation is without any accompanying technical report on the implementable market premium and does not address the pertinent issues of improved conditions of service.
The communique announcing the strike and signed by the NEC members, reads in part:
Speaking to OTEC NEWS’ reporters Obaaku Sika Amponsah and Nana Ama Nyamewaa on Monday, January 7,2022, Miss Setugah said the strike had affected academic activities and called on the parties to reconsider the interest of the students and address the situation in the shortest possible time.
She said the University was expected to start the first-semester but was suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing strike.
The outbreak of COVID-19, he said, had distorted the country’s educational calendar, stressing that if the situation was not addressed quickly, it would further affect academic activities in the Universities, including national service.
“We have communicated with the students to remain calm and prepare adequately for the exams, in case the strike is called off,” she said.
She has therefore, appealed to government to be considerate with the demands of the Union bodies and address their concerns for academic work to continue.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com
