TUTAG not ready to return to classrooms until demands are met

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The Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has asked members not to return to classrooms until government meets their demands.

According to the executives, the government and the National Labour Commission both failed to address their concerns since 2006 and therefore have no option than to embark on the indefinite strike with effect from Monday, June 14, 2021.

“If government remains adamant to meeting our demands by a particular period, we are ready to go beyond the nine months strike records that University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) embarked on in 1995,” National President of TUTAG Dr. Akurugu M. Brigandi said at a press conference in Tamale adding that the union is not going to compromise at all if they do not see any seriousness in the government.

Dr. Brigandi said TUTAG has on several occasions reminded government and its agencies especially the National Labour Commission (NLC) on their condition of services but has never received any positive response.

“The NLC have failed to enforce its own ruling in August 2019 in favour of TUTAG members,” he said, stressing that the conditions of service for TUTAG members expired since 2016 and have since been engaging the government to renew the conditions of service to but to no avail.

“Though government has agreed in writing that we are to enjoy the same conditions of service comparable to the traditional universities, they are yet to be implemented,” he noted.

Dr. Brigandi also indicated that the tier-two pension payment for TUTAG members going on retirement has since not commenced, despite repeated promises by government with the 2018/2019 research arrears due TUTAG members also not been paid to deserving members despite numerous reminders to government.

Challenges

He said technical universities face numerous frustrations in getting accreditation for their academic programmes thus hindering their academic growth.

In the face of all these frustrations, TUTAG, he said, continues to demonstrate good faith with government over the years on these issues but has now and unfortunately so, come to realize that government, together with its agencies, is simply unwilling to fulfill its part of the bargain. For this reason, TUTAG is left with no option than to declare an indefinite partial strike.

The President said, members have therefore been asked not to teach, invigilate, supervise students, mark examination scripts and submit results or attend meetings of the university until further notice. But he urged executives and members to continue to render community service in their capacities as lecturers.

Some executives at the press conference were Anold Mashud, Vice President; Alhaji Ibrahim Osman, General Secretary; Alhaji Mohammed Abdullah Inusah, Treasurer; Mohammed Awal, Organiser; Fatau Alhassan, the local chairman, some lecturers, some students and their representatives.

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