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Following the strike embarked on by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), an aspiring deputy youth organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Eastern region, Fohad Agbenyadzi, has called on government to as a matter of urgency address the challenges of these teachers.

According to him, students can no longer bear with the inconsistency in the education sector coupled with the economic hardship Ghanaians are facing now.

He, therefore, called on government to allocate funds for them to let sleeping dogs lie.

"I call on this government to for once, redeem its lost credibility with public servants, especially UTAG. Without further delay, government should cease the opportunity to reallocate funds from the unproductive expenses on flights, convoys, allowances to job for the boys appointments, judgement debts, gifts to lure MPs to the chamber and many more," Fohad Agbenyadzi said.

"The industrious youth of our democratic country, particularly university students, can no longer bear the economic hardships coupled with the inconsistency in the education system as a result of the multiple failures of this government," he added.

Meanwhile, 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.

Read Fohad's release below;

Stop being inconsiderate towards UTAG - Fohad tells government

The National Labour commission (NLC) as an independent state institution must at all times protect the interest of the government as well as the employees. Unfortunately, that is not the case. It always want to suppress the Ghanaian employee either through the power vested in them or through the judicial institutions. As much as we respect their actions of protecting the interest of government of the day, their actions should not be seen as protecting some political interest of certain government.

The continuous display of insensitivity and irresponsibility by this current government towards employees must be a worry to all well meaning citizens. From unpaid meagre stipends of NABCO trainees, national service allowances, nursing and teacher trainees' allowances, other public servants and the worst of it all, the current University teachers worsening conditions of service.

Following the UTAG communique of a strike action on January 10, 2022, government has only done nothing meaningful to resolve their legitimate demands, which this same govt agreed with. More irritating, rather the repeat of delay tactics in implementing and restoring their market premium to reflect an improved condition of service, is met with some sort of cohesing them to return to the lecture halls. What government is forgetting is, institutions can only force University Teachers to the lecture halls but can never force them to teach, let alone deliver quality service as in the case of forcing a horse to the river but not drink.

Again, some of us consider it a bitter mockery, when government and its officials sing the fallacy of no money to restore the University Teachers market premium to agreed level that improves their condition of service. This call of tightening our belt by some government spokespersons, especially the Minister of Finance is only an acceptance of irresponsible and reckless expenditure in the first term and the 2020 elections. Moreover, the continues lavish and extravagant lifestyle living of Government and its appointees leaves much to be desired. The recent revelation of the Hon. Member of Parliament for Assin Central, is fresh and echoes enough how unproductive expenses drain the national coffers just to satisfy partisan political interests of a few.

As an aspiring deputy Youth Organizer of the NDC in the Eastern region, I call on this government to for once, redeem its lost credibility with public servants, especially UTAG. Without further delay, government should cease the opportunity to reallocate funds from the unproductive expenses on flights, convoys, allowances to "job for the boys" appointments, judgement debts, gifts to lure MPs to the chamber and many more.
The industrious youth of our democratic country, particularly university students, can no longer bear the economic hardships coupled with the inconsistency in the education system as a result of the multiple failures of this government. To sum up, as youth and more importantly students of this country, we will not forgive this government should UTAG embark on another strike after March 4, 2022 due to another failure from government.

To UTAG, the youth and the students of our country share in your concerned that your condition of service must be improved.
Hence I add my voice to the parliamentary select committee and other eminent persons to commend your decision to suspend the strike action for negotiations with government once again. To quote Prof. Solomon Nunoo, president of the UTAG "At many forums, the employer has agreed with stakeholders that there is the need to improve the condition of service of University teachers. Thus we are cautiously optimistic that the government will do the needful to improve the working condition of the University Teacher".

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#Fohad Agbenyadzi
#TheGoldenBoy
#GBproject
#AspiringE/RdeputyYouthOrganizer