The National Secretariat of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has debunked reports that it has called off its nationwide strike which started on August 2, 2021.
In a statement signed by Dr. Eric Abavare, National Secretary of the Association, a statement circulating on social media to the effect that UTAG has suspended the strike was dismissed as “fake.”
“This statement and others purported to have been issued by the National Secretariat of UTAG announcing the suspension of our withdrawal of teaching and related services are FAKE. We advise UTAG members and the general public to kindly disregard such notices and their content,” the statement said.
It continued that…” the NEC of UTAG has not taken and will never take such a decision without recourse to their (members) input and mandate.”
University teachers under UTAG have been on strike since August 2 to press home demand for better conditions of service. They are demanding that government pegs the monthly basic premium of lecturers at $2,084.42 instead of the $997.84 they receive.
Last week the National Labor Commission (NLC) secured a court injunction against the strike but UTAG refused to abide by the ruling stating, members are prepared to be thrown in jail over what they call positive defiance.
An Accra Labour court on Monday awarded a cost of Ghc3,000 against the Association over its failure to call off the strike but the Association has said it is still not calling off the strike.
The 14th August statement from the Secretariat admonished members of the Association to be vigilant, as it says, the persons behind the statements claiming they had called off their strike are likely looking to divide and divide their ranks and then disable their resolve.
“The actions of our detractors are vexatious and intended to orchestrate the “divide and conquer” agenda of which we forewarned members earlier. We advise the individuals behind the numerous fake letters under the letterhead of UTGA to stop wasting their time and energy as they cannot speak the language of UTAG, let alone succeed in sowing confusion in the minds of our members. At best they are only making a mockery of themselves,” the statement said.
Source: whatsupnewsghana