Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has given government a two-week ultimatum to review its members’ condition of service or they begin series of demonstrations across the country.
TUTAG is also demanding their arrears and the migration of salaries of lecturers at the Bolgatanga and Wa Technical Universities.
Addressing a press conference in Tamale, National President, Dr Michael Akurugu Brigandi, said the last time government reviewed the condition of service for technical universities was in 2006, which he described as an unfair treatment to the Union.
“TUTAG will go all length in pressing home the demand for a review of its conditions of service, the migration of Bolga and Wa, and the payment of arrears, if government fails to act within two weeks from date of this communiqué,” he said.
Reading a communiqué issued at the 39th TUTAG national congress held at the Koforidua Technical University under the theme ‘Ensuring violence-free elections, the role of Technical University Teachers’, Dr Brigandi accused the National Council of Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) of dragging their feet in migrating its members at the Wa and Bolga campuses onto the Public University Salary Structure (PUSS), something he said the union is unhappy about.
“TUTAG expects nothing less than an expeditious migration of Wa and Bolga technical universities onto the PUSS. Anything less than this will jeopardise the relative peace we are currently enjoying on our campuses,” Dr Brigandi added.
Dr Brigandi further expressed disappointment in government’s refusal to increase the research allowance of TUTAG members as done to other universities.
He said all efforts made by the Association to get government to pay the said arrears have proved futile.
The National President bemoaned the failure of government to accredit competency based academic programmes meant to produce the needed manpower for the country.
He also questioned why any government agency will deliberately empanel theory based academics to assess practical programmes.
Speaking on this year’s theme, Dr Brigandi admonished all political parties to demonstrate issues based campaigns devoid of incendiary language. He said TUTAG will not support any political party with the intent of dividing Ghanaians for their selfish interest.
“TUTAG will not support any political party that appears to divide us for cheap political gains,” he said.
The National President called on the media, CSOs and religious bodies to monitor and firmly rebuke any political party whose actions has a tendency of marring the December polls.
He further called on its members to play a jealous role in shaping the political discourse with the aim of promoting peace in the country.
“Society listens to us and relies greatly on our inputs. We must remain as touch bearers in the Nation’s quest for peace before, during and after the elections,” Dr Brigandi added.