A senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast(UCC) Dr Justice Kwaku Addo has voiced his opposition to the ongoing strike by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) against illegal mining, known as galamsey.
Dr Addo who is a member of a group operating under the umbrella of the “Silent Majority of UTAG,” has described the strike as a lazy man’s approach.
In an interview on Asempa FM Ekosii Sen programme Tuesday, Dr Addo stated that the measures to tackle galamsey go beyond UTAG’s strike.
This according to him is because the strike is not providing the results required, adding the devastation and effects of galamsey still persist.
In his view, it would have been better for the UTAG leadership to convene, discuss and propose workable solutions than to sit at home in the name of a strike action.
“With the issue at hand, there short term, medium term and long term solutions and the measures we are looking at goes beyond going on strike to sit home and wait.
“We have to be actively involved, contribute and propose solutions to deal with the menace. So for me, the strike action is just a lazy man’s approach,” he stated.
These comments follow a petition by the group for the national leadership to immediately suspend the strike.
The Silent Majority have argued that the initial overwhelming vote from members across all 15 campuses was in support of the organised labour strike and not a UTAG strike.
The group believes that, the NEC should have therefore consulted with its members and sought their input before announcing the strike.