University of Ghana branch of University Teachers Association of Ghana, UTAG, will go on industrial strike from January 3rd, 2022 indefinitely after rejecting UTAG-NEC and Government Memorandum of Agreement on condition of service.
The association on Friday, December 17, 2021 rejected a proposed US$1600 Research Allowance payable to UTAG members in 2024 in a Memorandum of Agreement between Government and UTAG Negotiation Team.
It also rejected purported NEC acceptance of the proposed Research Allowance at a meeting dated 11th November, 2021.
The decision taken by UTAG-UG branch in its resolution on October 8, to reject the Memorandum of Agreement was supported by other six UTAG branches including KNUST, UDS, UEW, SDD-UBIDS, CKT-UTAS and UENR.
The other UTAG members did not officially submitted their votes in favor or against the MoA, the NEC on 11th November, 2021 confirmed the acceptance of the MoA on the basis that the remaining members support it.
This the UTAG-UG says the “outcome very strange and violation of the UTAG Constitution.”
According to the press release, the seven other members including UTAG-UG who voted against the MoA makes up more than sixty percent of the members..
“UTAG-UG and the six other campuses that officially submitted written resolution to reject the MoA, constitute more than 60 percent of the entire local membership of UTAG across the country.”
“Therefore, the decision to reject the MoA should be determined by the number of individual members as defined by the UTAG Constitution.”
UTAG-UG advices UTAG NEC to respect the Constitution of UTAG and the voice of its members, and withdraw its communique released on November 11,2021 accepting the MoA.
“In light of the above, UG, by this letter wishes to advise NEC to respect UTAG Constitution and the voice of its members to withdraw its communique of 11th November 2021, and duly inform Government of UTAG’s rejection of the MoA.” The released stated.
See the full statement below: