UG UTAG threatens strike on January 10

The University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), has announced a strike beginning from January 10th, 2022.

UTAG is demanding better conditions of service and an increment in salaries of university lecturers.

Speaking to Citi News, Secretary of the University of Ghana UTAG, Professor Ransford Gyampo  said they will continue to press on till they are given what is due them.

“Notices, as far as I am concerned, have been sent to all stakeholders about the intention to strike because agreements reached have not been respected. Timelines agreed upon have not been adhered to,” he said to Citi News.

The University of Ghana branch had earlier threatened to strike from January 3, 2022.

One of the chapter’s main grievances is the National Executive Committee’s (NEC) decision to accept the government’s Memorandum of Agreement proposing among others the payment of a $1,600 research allowance to members of UTAG.

UG-UTAG in a statement said the NEC confirmed acceptance of the Memorandum of Agreement even though some chapters of UTAG were opposed to the agreement.

It thus asked the NEC to withdraw its communiqué suggesting that an agreement was reached by UTAG members to accept the research allowance and a proposal for the government to complete a Labour Market Survey Report to determine the review of the Interim Market Premium by December 2021 for implementation in 2022.

The six other branch members of UTAG, that is KNUST, UDS, UEW, SDD-UBIDS, CKT-UTAS, and UENR also supported the decision to reject the agreement.

UTAG is yet to formally communicate a nationwide strike.