The national executives of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) have agreed to suspend its seven-week old strike until 4 March to further engage with the government over members’ conditions of service, an official statement said.
UTAG said it took into consideration appeals made by respected eminent leaders like former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who is the Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), and Sir Sam Jonah, who is the Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
In a statement released on Monday (21 February), the leadership called on members to “heed to the advice of the eminent leaders, the select committee on education and the court ruling to suspend our strike action up to 4 March, 2022 to engage with government”.
It comes after a court directed them to resume work while they negotiate with government over their grievances. The decision is also coming on the back of last week’s meeting between the executives and the Parliamentary select committee on education.
“Be ye informed that, at a National Executive Committee meeting held this evening (Monday 21st February 2022), we decided to suspend our industrial action and to allow negotiations to commence and be concluded in two weeks. This is in view of the court order, appeals from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, and other Eminent Ghanaians,” Secretary to the University of Ghana Chapter UTAG Professor Ransford Gyampo wrote on Facebook Monday.
He added: “Per section 4(b) of the UTAG’s constitution, our members have five days to vote to accept or reject this decision. We hope ore serious overtures are made to convince members.
“We do not like the strike and hope there is sincerity and more commitment in addressing our concerns. Beyond any temporal intervention, we ask for a more lasting solution and not quick fixes”.
On February 15, the Labour Division of the Accra High Court ordered UTAG to return to work.
This was after the National Labour Commission (NLC) had moved an interlocutory injunction to compel them to return to duties pending the determination of the substantive matter which has to do with enforcement of the NLC directive to call off the strike.
The court presided over by Justice Frank Rockson Aboadwe said it has taken Judicial notice of the attempts to settle the matter.
UTAG on January 10, 2022 begun a strike action and for the past a month has not been able to reach settlement with government.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com
