We won’t allow our front to be broken – UG-UTAG President

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has fired back at a breakaway group calling itself the ‘Silent Majority of UTAG’ after they demanded an end to the ongoing strike.

On Tuesday, October 15, the group gave UTAG’s national leadership a three-day ultimatum to call off the strike, claiming there’s no reason for it since Organised Labour has already stopped their action following government promises to address illegal mining, also known as galamsey.

The group argued that with Organised Labour backing down, UTAG’s strike is now unjustified.

However, in response to the group’s demand, the President of the University of Ghana branch of UTAG in a statement, made it clear that they won’t fight or respond publicly to the group’s demands to call off the ongoing strike.

He emphasized that they won’t let external forces disrupt their unity, stating that they won’t allow their front to be broken by anyone who isn’t part of the association.

However, they’ve extended an olive branch, assuring the ‘Silent Majority’ that they’re willing to engage in private discussions to address the reasons behind the strike.

“It would be fratricidal for us to fight them publicly. We won’t allow our front to be broken by anyone who isn’t part of us. We would engage them to let them understand the reasons why we took exception to the unfortunate behaviours of the TUC and Clossag heads and went on the route of industrial action.”

He maintained that its industrial action remains in force until the National Exetivuct Committee decides otherwise.

“We do not want to respond to them publicly but it must be stated categorically that UTAG’s indefinite strike, which could not be overturned by the less than 57 lecturers, remain in force until the NEC of UTAG decides otherwise,” UTAG insisted.

Read below the statement by UTAG

RESPONSE TO THE GROUP CALLING ITSELF SILENT MAJORITY OF UTAG MEMBERS

I have seen an unsigned petition by some 57 people, presented to UTAG National and also delivered at a Press Conference held today. UTAG National would officially respond shortly and in a manner that would clearly set records straight while keeping the sanctity of our front intact.

But my checks show that out of the 57 people, 36 are not University Teachers. Many of the remaining who are Lecturers have also issued public disclaimers (some of which I would share shortly) to the effect that they never consented to being part of anything.

Now, there’s no way 57 people who are not all lecturers can describe themselves as a silent majority of lecturers with the audacity to give an ultimatum to the close to 3000 university professors who voted to strike against illegal mining.

But some of them are our colleagues who clearly didn’t understand the issues. It would be fratricidal for us to fight them publicly. We won’t allow our front to be broken by anyone who isn’t part of us. We would engage them to let them understand the reasons why we took exception to the unfortunate behaviours of the TUC and Clossag heads and went on the route of industrial action.

“We do not want to respond to them publicly but it must be stated categorically that UTAG’s indefinite strike, which could not be overturned by the less than 57 lecturers, remain in force until the NEC of UTAG decides otherwise