The Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has lamented at government failure to accredit the various academic programmes offered by technical universities across the country.
In a communique, it said: “It is strange and indeed interesting to note that the very government committing heavy doses of resources into the development of the country’s manpower needs is the same government that is impeding the efforts of technical universities in their quest to train manpower to feed the economy.
“Government, through the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the National Accreditation Board(NAB) is doing all it can to frustrate the existence of technical university by failing to accredit well designed academic programmes meant to produce the much needed manpower for the country,” it added.
The communique signed by its National President, Dr. Michael Akurugu Brigandi follows a press conference held in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, which was themed ‘Ensuring Violence Free Elections, the Role of Technical University Teachers’.
Touching on condition of services, he said the last time their conditions were reviewed was in 2006. This, he added, was unfair and that the association would embark on strike if government fails to review the prevailing conditions within two weeks.
As a result of the lack of service review, he said technical universities tutors are being denied certain benefits such as upgrade of salaries, increase in research allowance to levels similar to what is given to those teaching at other public universities.
To him, the strike action has become the last option since all efforts made by the Association to get government’s attention has proven futile.
“TUTAG is happy to note that the conversion of the Wa and Bolgatanga Technical Universities has been successfully completed by government. However, what is delaying now is their migration onto the Public University Salary Structure (PUSS).
The NCTE and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) are feet dragging in this regard and the overwhelming nature of this attitude is what is giving TUTAG members sleepless nights,” he said.
“TUTAG expects nothing less than an expeditious migration of Wa and Bolgatanga Technical Universities onto the PUSS,” the statement noted, adding that anything less could jeopardize the relative peace currently being enjoyed on the various campuses.
