We won’t comply with your directive – UG-UTAG

The University of Ghana, UG, branch of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, UTAG, has rejected the call for academic work to commence on Monday, February 28, 2022.

According to a release signed by Prof Ransford E.V. Gyampo, Secretary UG-UTAG, lecturers of the University of Ghana cannot comply with an earlier directive of commencement of academic work following an emergency meeting held on Sunday, February 27.

He explained, the suspension of the strike by the UTAG-National Executive Committee has been rejected overwhelmingly by UTAG members and it will not be prudent to commence teaching for a few days only to resume strike again.

“After extensive deliberations, they directed me to bring to your attention, their inability to comply with the decision of the Business and Executive Committee for the resumption of teaching on Monday 28th February 2022,” the release said.

It added, this was based on the following reasons:

“First, the UTAG-National Executive Committee’s decision to suspend the strike, has been rejected by the majority of members of public universities in Ghana, and it will not be prudent to commence teaching for a few days, only to resume the strike again, given the toll this may likely impose on students and parents.

“Secondly, given the trust deficit between UTAG and government, members indicated their preference to see the outcome of the talks/engagement (not negotiations) initiated by the government to resolve the impasse (which is expected to end on March 4, 2022), before they return to the classroom.

“Kindly be notified accordingly,” Prof Gyampo’s release concluded.

Find Prof Gyampo’s release below.

Outcome of Emergency Meeting of UG-UTAG on 27th February, 2022

Dear Registrar,

An emergency meeting was called to discuss your release communicating the University’s Business and Executive Committee’s decision for teaching and academic work to commence on Monday 28th February 2022, in anticipation of the ratification of the UTAG-National Executive Committee’s decision to suspend the industrial action upon by UTAG since 10th January 2022.

After extensive deliberations, they directed me to bring to your attention, their inability to comply with the decision of the Business and Executive Committee for the resumption of teaching on Monday 28th February 2022. This was based on the following reasons:

First, the UTAG-National Executive Committee’s decision to suspend the strike, has been rejected by the majority of members of public universities in Ghana, and it will not be prudent to commence teaching for few days, only to resume the strike again, given the toll this may likely impose on students and parents.

Secondly, given the trust deficit between UTAG and the government, members indicated their preference to see the outcome of the talks/engagement (not negotiations) initiated by the government to resolve the impasse (which is expected to end on March 4, 2022), before they return to the classroom.

Kindly be notified accordingly.

Thank you.

Prof Ransford E.V. Gyampo, Secretary UG-UTAG

UTAG referendum of strike

Majority of lecturers across some seven public universities in the country have voted against the decision by UTAG’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to suspend its nationwide strike.

The dissenting lecturers include lectures from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW); the University of Ghana, Legon; the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR); the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST); the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) and the SD-Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies.

According to the votes collated from these 7 public universities, an overwhelming majority of the lecturers do not want UTAG to suspend its nationwide strike.

The University of Cape Coast and other member institutions are yet to cast their votes on NEC’s decision.