University Education Under Threat, As UTAG Resumes Strike On October 8

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) will resume its suspended nationwide strike on October 8, the National Executive Committee the Association has stated.

The decision was reached after the committee held its 20th Congress and it was officially communicated that negotiations with the government on September 26th, 2021 had broken down.

The government is said to have refused to agree to commit to paying the $2,084.42 that UTAG has been demanding as entry-level salaries for lecturers proposing the cedi equivalent of US$1,200 instead. The association rejected the amount.

UTAG also proposed a minimum of the Cedi equivalent of $250 per month for research allowance in addition to a review of the 2024 implementation and the implementation of the new Market premium by December 21, 2021.

If this failed, then the Market Premium was to be restored to the 2013 Interim Market Premium value of 114% of the basic salary and be allowed to apply on every current basic salary.

However, the government again refused to accede, causing UTAG to announce it will be resuming its strike.

On 4th October, the National Executive Committee of UTAG will release a statement in which the strike action will be detailed.

 “There is no need for any further negotiation on the proposed conditions of service…UTAG will only return to work after conditions 2 and 3 above are agreed and signed to by Government,” the association said.

On August 17, 2021, UTAG suspended its strike from 1st August, after the National Labour Commission withdrew a legal suit against it.

Then On 18, UTAG signed a memorandum of agreement with the government to call off the strike and continue negotiation, but on condition that all legal suits initiated by the government against them are withdrawn.

After the suspension, end of semester examinations at the University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology were held with President Akufo-Addo saying he was happy about the suspension of the strike.