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Tag: TUTAG

  • UTAG, TUTAG, CETAG assured of receiving allowances on time

    UTAG, TUTAG, CETAG assured of receiving allowances on time

    Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has assured the leadership of three unions in Ghana’s tertiary education sector of receiving their allowances on time.

    He made this known to the unions on Tuesday, June 10, when they met to discuss the disbursement of the Book and Research Allowance. 

    The meeting, which was prompted by a request from the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG), and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), aimed to address concerns over the payment of the allowance.

    Dr Forson assured the union leaders that the allowance had been fully captured in the 2025 budget and that he had initiated the necessary processes to ensure its release.

    “I assured them that the allowance has been fully captured in the 2025 Budget, and I have since initiated the necessary processes in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education to ensure its release,” the sector minister shared on his X page.

    He also commended the unions for their constructive proposal to establish a dedicated Labour Relations Desk within the Ministry of Finance, which would strengthen coordination and enhance dialogue between the ministry and labour stakeholders.

    During the meeting, Dr Forson said he updated the union leaders on ongoing payroll reforms, particularly the audit being conducted by the Auditor-General.

    He added that preliminary findings indicate a significant presence of ghost names on the payroll, which, if addressed, could yield substantial savings for the public purse. 

    Dr Forson urged the union leaders to lend their support to this important national exercise, emphasising that cleaning the payroll was not only about fiscal prudence but also about restoring integrity and fairness in public sector compensation.

    This comes at a time when members of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), have withdrawn from their posts over delays in their 2024 Collective Agreement since June 2.

    A 10-day injunction has been placed on the nationwide strike after the Industrial and Labour Division of the High Court in Accra described the protest as illegal.

    But the GRNMA has disclosed that it is yet to formally receive a court order restraining its ongoing strike.

    Public Relations Officer of the GRNMA, Joseph Krampah, has insisted that the group will continue its strike until an official injunction notice is served.

    According to him, although the association is a law-abiding group, it cannot obey unofficial reports.

    “They think that they should serve us a letter; we can’t prevent them, but what constitutes an illegal strike? When in Ghana has the Labour Commission said that this strike is legal? It is only illegal when they don’t inform your office about the intended strike, and we did—you had the letter,” Krampah said.

    Meanwhile, Health Minister Mintah Akandoh has revealed that the government will not be able to meet the conditions of service for the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), currently on strike, this year.

    Engaging the press, the sector minister announced that the conditions of service being requested to be implemented were not captured in the 2025 budget statement; hence, it will “completely throw the economy off gear if implemented in the manner it currently exists.”

    “We are mindful of the serious economic consequences of unbudgeted expenditure and want to avoid the economic slippages that have led to the hardship in the recent past,” the Health Minister revealed.

  • TUTAG declares indefinite strike over 32 months unpaid allowances

    TUTAG declares indefinite strike over 32 months unpaid allowances

    Academic activities at Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University (DHLTU) have been suspended following an indefinite strike declared by the university’s chapter of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG).

    The strike, which began on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, stems from unresolved issues with university management, including the non-payment of allowances owed to lecturers.

    In a conversation with Channel One TV, Samadu Kamwine, the Chairman of TUTAG-DHLTU, revealed that the strike followed years of fruitless engagements with the university’s administration and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC). Kamwine noted that the payment of Online Teaching Support Allowances (OTSA) has been delayed for 32 months. While the management recently paid two months of the arrears, a significant balance remains unpaid, and no concrete timeline has been provided for clearing the remaining months.

    “We’ve been patient for too long. The university management has failed to provide us with a clear timeline for the payment of our OTSA arrears, despite promising to settle them. This is not just a financial issue; it’s about the respect and welfare of the lecturers,” Kamwine stated.

    TUTAG further highlighted the delayed disbursement of the Internally Generated Fund (IGF) portion of the End of Service Benefit (ESB) for retired staff. Members have also not received OTSA for the first quarter of 2025 (January to March), adding to the ongoing dissatisfaction within the academic staff.

    Kamwine also pointed to the declining state of teaching and learning conditions at DHLTU. “We are working in an environment where basic resources are lacking. Many of our lecture halls lack projectors, the computer lab is poorly equipped, and in the Fashion Design Studio, nearly 200 students have to share just 20 sewing machines. This is not acceptable,” he said.

    Despite the frustrations, Kamwine emphasized that the strike is not aimed at the government or the Ministry of Education but directly at DHLTU’s management. He accused the administration of neglecting the needs of both staff and students, citing poor leadership as a major contributing factor.

    “The strike is not about the central government. We have no issues with GTEC or the Ministry of Education. The problem lies with DHLTU’s management. We have engaged with them on numerous occasions, but their silence and inaction have left us with no choice,” Kamwine added.

    TUTAG has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with the university’s management and is open to adjusting the academic calendar to recover lost contact hours. However, Kamwine made it clear that the strike would continue until the association’s demands are met.

    “We want to find a resolution, but the university must take immediate action. Until then, our strike will continue,” he concluded.

    As the strike continues, the academic future at DHLTU hangs in the balance, with lecturers and students awaiting management’s response to the ongoing crisis.

  • Dissolve SSNIT board! – TUTAG demands

    Dissolve SSNIT board! – TUTAG demands

    The Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) is advocating for the complete dissolution of SSNIT’s board to ensure that competent individuals are in place to manage pension funds.

    According to the group, it is not enough that the board members halted attempt to sell off some of the agency’s hotels.

    “It is the view of members of TUTAG that it is insufficient for SSNIT to merely discontinue the process of selling its 60% shares in the four hotels. We believe that in order to move forward in the right direction on this matter, it would be appropriate for the board to be totally dissolved to allow for more competent individuals who are committed to managing the affairs of our pensions to take over, with labour unions constituting the majority,” TUTAG pointed out.

    On July 12, 2024, SSNIT announced it had ended the sale process, which aimed to transfer 60% of the agency’s stake in four hotels to a private investor.

    Despite the termination of the deal, public backlash continues, leading to demands for the dissolution of the SSNIT board and management, headed by Madam Elizabeth Ohene and Kofi Bosompem Osafo-Maafo, respectively.

    Specifically, the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) issued a statement on June 13, 2024, calling for the immediate dissolution of SSNIT’s board and the resignation of its top management.

    TUTAG is also seeking an explanation from the board and management of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) for their abrupt decision to reverse the halt of the process.

    “We also demand an explanation from the Board and Management of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) on how they initially disapproved and then miraculously approved such an unfortunate sale within a two-week period after halting the process.”

    Numerous influential figures, such as lawyer and human rights advocate Martin Kpebu, have also voiced this demand.

    “The Board has to go, Osafo-Maafo has to go,” the private legal practitioner said on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, July 13.

    Similar views are being expressed by the public across different social media platforms.

    Before SSNIT’s statement on Friday, the umbrella group for labor unions, Organised Labour, declared a strike set for Monday, July 15, 2024, to protest the sale.

  • UTAG contemplates nationwide strike over govt’s stalled Service Condition talks

    The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) remains steadfast in its resolve to commence a nationwide strike, attributing the government’s alleged disregard for negotiating their conditions of service.

    UTAG’s General Secretary, Dr Eliasu Mumuni, underscored that deliberations on the base pay, particularly regarding market premiums, represent the pivotal factor that could lead to a reconsideration of their decision.

    Speaking to the press in Accra, Dr Mumuni revealed that UTAG members would gather to declare a specific date for the initiation of their strike.

    He underscored the need for collective approval from the membership before proceeding, stating: “We need that collective permission for membership to say we are behind you, so go ahead.”

    Dr. Mumuni highlighted ongoing efforts to engage all 15 campuses’ membership and prompt the National Labour Commission (NLC) during this period.

    “If they are not able to reach us, and we have gone through the formality of engaging all the membership of all the 15 campuses, as well as prompting the Labour Commission, then we are good to go,” he stressed.

    Meanwhile, UTAG and the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) walked out of a meeting with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on Wednesday, 10 January 2024.

    The associations attributed their exit to the commission’s alleged bad faith, contempt, and lackadaisical approach towards addressing vital aspects of their conditions of service.

    Expressing dissatisfaction, they denounced what they perceived as gross disrespect and a lack of commitment to improving their conditions of service.

  • UTAG, TUTAG reps exit meeting with FWSC 

    UTAG, TUTAG reps exit meeting with FWSC 

    The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, walked out of a meeting with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).

    The groups cited reasons such as bad faith, contempt, and a lackadaisical attitude on the part of their employer, FWSC, towards the crucial aspects of their conditions of service, as grounds for their decision.

    They maintained that UTAG/TUTAG would not participate in meetings that do not result in benefits and cautioned that the voices of University Lecturers would soon be heard in a language better understood by the Employer/Government.

    The National President for UTAG, Professor Mamudu A. Akudugu, in an interview noted the commission picked out some key components in the conditions an left some out.

    He explained that as groups, they are not going to pick and choose conditions rather, they want the commission to relook at the entire condition of service as they have agreed.

    “We were in a meeting with the FWSC about our condition of service and some other key component of our conditions of service that we thought would be part of the meeting. Our employer is of a different view regarding our concerns

    “Some key components of our conditions of service were supposed to be included in our meeting. So, we think that as we are talking about them, then it should have been everything and not to pick and choose. So we decided to walk out,” he said.

    Although Prof. Mamudu A. Akudugu, did not give out the specifics of the conditions for which they walked out, he noted that as associations, they would return to the Fair Wages and Salary Commission if it is ready to meet all of the terms and conditions.

  • Bolgatanga Technical University calls off strike

    Bolgatanga Technical University calls off strike

    The Bolgatanga branch of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) and the Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) have called off their strike action.

    This decision was reached following separate emergency meetings held on August 31, 2023.

    The meetings were convened to discuss the consensus achieved during a meeting on August 29, 2023, involving TUTAG, TUSAAG, University Management, and the Governing Council as a mediator.

    In a joint statement, the groups stated, “It was unanimously agreed at both meetings that the strike action be suspended with effect from Friday, 1st September 2023.”

    The industrial action had been initiated by the Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) Branch of TUTAG and TUSAAG on August 25, 2023. The groups had raised concerns about changes to their retirement benefits, which they alleged were being sought by the university’s vice-chancellor, Professor Samuel Alnaa, against the Ministry of Finance’s approval.

    They also pointed out ambiguities in the Technical Universities Act (2026), Act 922 as amended.

    The national body of the Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) had expressed support for the strike action taken by the BTU Chapter of TUTAG on August 28, 2023.

  • Bolga TUTAG, TUSAAG lay down their tools over conditions of service

    Bolga TUTAG, TUSAAG lay down their tools over conditions of service

    The Bolgatanga division of Ghana’s Technical University Teachers’ Association (TUTAG) and Technical University Senior Administrators’ Association (TUSAAG) have initiated a service withdrawal.

    TUTAG and TUSAAG branches in Bolgatanga have declared their intention to persist with their service withdrawal until their requests are fulfilled.

    In an official communication, the two associations allege that the Vice Chancellor is attempting to alter sections of their approved “Conditions of Service (CoS),” as endorsed by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), by invoking ambiguities in the amended Technical Universities Act (2016), Act 922.

    To this, the Bolgatanga branch of TUTAG and TUSAAG said, “We outright reject.”

    According to the two associations, their strike is “based on misinterpretations of portions” of their CoS pertaining to the retirement benefit by the Vice Chancellor to their disadvantage”.

    “We find Ghana Tertiary Education Commission’s (GTEC) decision to refer this matter to the Attorney General for interpretation as a time-wasting tactic since GTEC’s submission at the NLC on the 23rd of August 2023 indicated that the Attorney General’s interpretation was only to guide the commission regarding the “perceived” ambiguity and shall not be binding on any Technical University (TU).

    “So if the essence of the Attorney General’s so-called interpretation of the Transitional Provisions is only to serve as a guide for GTEC, then we consider this whole exercise as delay tactics,” the Bolgatanga branch of TUTAG and TUSAAG noted.

    They, therefore, demanded the immediate payment of the “internal component of the Online Teaching Support Allowance (OTSA) and its accrued arrears for teaching staff that have not paid since January 2022”.

  • TUTAG calls off strike declared on November 18

    Technical University students woke up to good news since disruptions caused by the indefinite industrial action by the Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) have ended following an announcement that marked the end of the TUTAG strike indefinitely.

    The announcement was contained in a statement dated November 18, in response to the government’s inaction to honor the codified conditions of service of its members, which it notes has been outstanding since 2016.

    However, there has been a turn of events following TUTAG’s statement dated December 10 declaring the end of the strike after several months of staying off their duties.

     It has finally concluded its negotiations on its demands with the government, hence the suspension of the strike. 

    “Following the conclusion of negotiations on internally generated fund-related conditions of service, off-campus and vehicle maintenance allowances, and pursuant to the memorandum of agreement signed between the government team and the labour unions (TUTAG, UTAG, GAUA, and TEWU), we announce the suspension of the strike action declared on Monday, November 18, 2022. The suspension takes immediate effect,” TUTAG said in a statement.

    Therefore, the association’s leadership has requested that all members resume work effective Monday, December 12.

    “We, therefore, urge all members of the 10 public technical universities to resume work on Monday, December 12, 2022,” the statement read.

    Additionally, it thanked the National Labour Commission for supporting its resolution and commended its members for their cooperation.

    “We wish to express our gratitude to the National Labour Commission for helping the parties reach an agreement in relation to the above allowances. We thank the Honorable Minister of Education for his honesty, sincerity, and participation throughout the negotiation process.

    “Finally, we express our profound gratitude to our gallant members for their support throughout the process.”

     TUTAG on November 18 declared an indefinite strike action, demanding a review of vehicle maintenance allowance, implementation of the negotiated internally generated fund, and other conditions of service.

    In a letter to announce its strike at the time, TUTAG said the Ghana Tertiary Education Council and other government agencies have not given their demand any serious attention.

    Hence, “upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action that takes immediate effect,” the letter announced.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • TUTAG calls off strike

    The Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) leadership has ended the strike that has been in effect since November 18, 2022.

    The Association expressed concern over the government’s failure to uphold the members’ Codified Conditions of Service, which have been in arrears since 2016, in a letter addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labor Commission (NLC), and Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

    But almost a month after staying off their duties, a statement jointly signed by the Association’s president and general secretary announced that they have reached a mutual understanding with the government for which reason they have resolved to call off the strike.

    “Following the conclusion of negotiations on internally generated fund-related conditions of service, off-campus and vehicle maintenance allowances, and pursuant to the memorandum of agreement signed between the government team and the labour unions (TUTAG, UTAG, GAUA, and TEWU), we announce the suspension of the strike action declared on November 18, 2022.”

    The statement, therefore, called on all members of the Association to resume work effective December 12.

    “We, therefore, urge all members in the 10 Public Technical Universities to resume work on Monday, December 12, 2022.”

    It also praised its members for their solidarity and also lauded the National Labour Commission for effectively mediating to bring an end to the impasse.

    “We wish to express our gratitude to the National Labour Commission for helping the parties reach an agreement in relation to the above allowances. We thank the Honorable Minister of Education for his honesty, sincerity and participation throughout the negotiation process.

    “Finally, we express our profound gratitude to our gallant members for their support throughout the process.”

    Source: Citinews

  • TUTAG strike will end soon – Education Minister assures

    The Ministry of Education has assured students of Technical Universities that the government is working to resolve concerns of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) to get them to resume work.

    According to the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the government has shown enough commitment to address the demands of the striking teachers.

    In a Citi News interview, Dr. Adutwum expressed optimism that the strike will soon be called off.

    “We have had fruitful discussions. We have made appeals to them. They are also consulting their members, and we will hear from them soon.”

    “Nobody wants students to be in class more than me, the Minister of Education. That is why I am saying we have made some considerable process, and I am very hopeful that the strike will be over soon,” the Minister said.

    The leadership of the TUTAG on Friday, November 18 declared an indefinite strike over concerns about their conditions of service.

    The union wants the government to honour its Codified Conditions of Service of members, which have been outstanding since 2016.

    The leadership of TUTAG has accused the government of blatantly disregarding a ruling of the National Labour Commission on the matter, and also blamed the NLC for failing to enforce the ruling.

    According to TUTAG, its members are facing some challenges with the payroll system and want the various Technical Universities to manage the payroll of the teachers.

    The Association also wants the Government to pay outstanding Book and Research Allowances for the 2021/2022 academic year for the majority of its members.

     

  • TUTAG declares indefinite strike

    The leadership of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has declared an indefinite strike action over concerns about conditions of service.

    TUTAG last week threatened to embark on industrial action if the government fails to honour the Codified Conditions of Service of members, which have been outstanding since 2016.

    In a statement issued on Friday, November 18, TUTAG said issues raised in an earlier letter addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission have since not received any attention from the aforementioned government agencies.

    “TUTAG views the inaction by these agencies as an indication that the concerns expressed in our letter have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve.”

    “In view of all these, and upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect.”

    Below is the full statement by TUTAG

    We refer to our letter on the subject “NEW RATE OF FUEL ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS OF UTAG AND TUTAG” with reference number TUTAG/GTEC/02 dated 26th September 2022, addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

    We wish to state that issues raised in the above letter have since not received any attention from the
    aforementioned government agencies. TUTAG views the inaction by these agencies as an indication that the concerns expressed in our letter have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve.

    We also refer to the NLC’s directive of 2nd September 2022 under the subject “RE: IN THE MATTER
    OF NOTIFICATION OF INTENDED STRIKE ACTION BY TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (TUTAG)” with reference number NLC/TUTAG/2022/21 which was in relation to TUTAG’s demand for the implementation of the negotiated internally generated fund-related conditions of service.

    The directive reads: “That the Minister of Finance (MOF) is hereby directed to ensure payment in January 2023 and should also ensure that it issues the necessary letters to the various University Councils within a reasonable time to make budgetary provisions in the budget to take care of payments on the effective date.

    Even though January 2023 is less than two months away, and most universities are done with budget preparations for 2023, the Minister of Finance has still not issued the letter as directed by the NLC. It is important to state that a certain letter (electronic version), supposedly written by the FWSC, was shown to the President at NLC, the content of the said letter was in sharp contrast with the negotiations done with the Governing Councils of the various universities. Indeed, our checks from the listed recipients indicate that the said defective letter had not
    even been received.

    Further, reference is made to issues raised in our letter under the subject “NOTIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION” with reference number TUTAG/NLC/02 dated 10th October 2022, some of which have still not been resolved by the government agencies.

    In view of all these, and upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect.

    Source: Citinews

  • TUTAG declares strike

    The Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has declared an indefinite strike.

    This is due to  concerns about conditions of service.

    “Upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect,” a statement said.

    Below is the full statement by TUTAG

    We refer to our letter on the subject “NEW RATE OF FUEL ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS OF UTAG AND TUTAG” with reference number TUTAG/GTEC/02 dated 26th September 2022, addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

    We wish to state that issues raised in the above letter have since not received any attention from the aforementioned government agencies. TUTAG views the inaction by these agencies as an indication that the concerns expressed in our letter have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve.

    We also refer to the NLC’s directive of 2nd September 2022 under the subject “RE: IN THE MATTER OF NOTIFICATION OF INTENDED STRIKE ACTION BY TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (TUTAG)” with reference number NLC/TUTAG/2022/21 which was in relation to TUTAG’s demand for the implementation of the negotiated internally generated fund-related conditions of service.

    The directive reads: “That the Minister of Finance (MOF) is hereby directed to ensure payment in January 2023 and should also ensure that it issues the necessary letters to the various University Councils within a reasonable time to make budgetary provisions in the budget to take care of payments on the effective date.

    Even though January 2023 is less than two months away, and most universities are done with budget preparations for 2023, the Minister of Finance has still not issued the letter as directed by the NLC. It is important to state that a certain letter (electronic version), supposedly written by the FWSC, was shown to the President at NLC, the content of the said letter was in sharp contrast with the negotiations done with the Governing Councils of the various universities. Indeed, our checks from the listed recipients indicate that the said defective letter had not even been received.

    Further, reference is made to issues raised in our letter under the subject “NOTIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION” with reference number TUTAG/NLC/02 dated 10th October 2022, some of which have still not been resolved by the government agencies.

    In view of all these, and upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect.

  • Government to pay allowances of TUTAG members by January 29

    The National Labour Commission (NLC) will facilitate the payment of salaries and allowances of six Technical Universities, who submitted their data to the National Council for Tertiary Education on January 29, 2020.

    According to a statement signed and copied to the Ghana News Agency by Mr Andy Kwabena Asamoah, the Chairman for the NLC, the remaining two Technical Universities, Sunyani and Tamale, who are yet to submit their data, are to do so by January 17, 2020.

    TUTAG strike hits hard at KTU, students beg for government intervention

    This would enable government to facilitate the payment of their salaries and allowances at the end of February 2020.

    The Commission through the statement directed TUTAG to call off its strike with immediate effect and return to work.

    “The parties are further directed to continue negotiations on the outstanding issues in good faith,” it said.

    According to the statement, the NLC on Thursday, January 10, 2020, met representatives of TUTAG, the Ministries of Finance, Employment and Labour Relations, and Education, the Fair Wages and Salary Commission, and the Controller and Accountant General Department to negotiate the outstanding issue.

    Go to court and enforce your ruling against Government TUTAG to NLC

    The TUTAG earlier declared an indefinite strike effective January 6, 2020, in protest of the non-payment of allowances due its members following the conversion of polytechnics to technical universities.

    Source: Ghananewsagency.org

  • Mid-semester exams at Kumasi Technical University in limbo over TUTAG strike

    Students of Kumasi Technical University have begun feeling the brunt of the ongoing strike action by the Technical Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG).

    Mid-semester examinations scheduled for this week, October 21, remain uncertain.

    This is after administrators of technical universities in Ghana joined lecturers on a strike that started more than two weeks ago.

    Read: TUTAG strike: Academic calendar may be extended Vice Chancellors hint

    “I am on a scholarship. My cheque is in so I had come to the administration to get it to buy some books and other things for my upkeep but I am unable to access it because the administrators had joined too,” a worried female student explained to Luv FM.

    The lecturers, members of TUTAG, declared a sit-down strike on Tuesday, October 7, 2019, over poor conditions of service following the conversion of polytechnics to technical universities

    They want the government to include them in ongoing negotiations to improve working conditions for teachers in tertiary institutions.

    The situation has compelled many students, especially those coming from around Kumasi, to leave campus for their homes, while some of those from outside the Ashanti Region are still on campus hopeful that the impasse will be resolved.

    Read: Government appeals to TUTAG to call off strike

    “We thought it was a joke, we came here and the lecturers are not willing to teach us because of the strike,” said a student of the Kumasi Technical University.

    “We are trying to learn by ourselves but you know that there are certain things you might not understand unless the lecturer takes you through, so it is really affecting us,” another student said.

    As the strike continues, there are indications more students are expected to go home because, according to them, they are wasting the little resources they brought to school.

    With a few weeks left on the academic calendar, students are hopeful the semester period will be extended to enable them to complete the required courses.

     

    Source: Myjoyonline.com