In the wake of the COVID-19 shock, public university students in Ghana will have to brace themselves for more trouble as their lecturers threaten a strike.
The strike, according to the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), is in response to the government’s inability to settle their members’ book, and research allowance for the 2019/20 academic year.
UTAG in a statement on September 11, 2020, noted that although all the necessary and needed documentation to facilitate the payment of the allowances have been made available, none of the members has received the allowance.
The release signed by the President and secretary further stated that if by close of Monday, September 14, the allowances are not paid; the association will advise its members to cease from performing their functions.
The Association added that ”Should the next Academic year’s calendar, which has already seen some disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic be derailed, it should not be blamed on us but the government’s actions and inactions in its dealing with the Association on the subject matter.”
Book and Research allowance
The book and research allowance is provided by the government to public universities for the purpose of funding researches in academia for national development.
But each year, it appears UTAG has to threaten or in extreme cases embark on a strike for the government to meet their demands.
