The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, has said his ministry is hoping the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) will be flexible in negotiations to end its strike.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Kwarteng said the Education Ministry will continue to engage the teachers as its strike threatens to enter the sixth week.
“We will continue to appeal to the leadership of UTAG that there should be some level of flexibility and there should be a clear roadmap in building some concessions so that ultimately, we should be finding an end to the impasse.“
He noted that the government could not engage with the UTAG members because of legal constraints that prevent negotiations with striking workers.
“It is only at negotiations where you are able to address the critical and the specific issues that need to be addressed.”
In the meantime, he assured that the government would not ignore its responsibility to get the lecturers back to classrooms.
“The Minister of Education and government have engaged UTAG at all times, but it should be conducted within the framework of the law,” Mr. Kwarteng said.
UTAG has been on strike since January 10 to force the government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012.
The 2012 conditions of service pegged the Basic plus Market Premium of a lecturer at $2,084.42.
UTAG has complained that the current arrangement has reduced its members’ basic premiums to $997.84.
The National Labour Commission dragged UTAG to court but the two were told to return to the negotiation table.
The NLC sued, seeking the enforcement of its order which was defied by public university teachers in the country.
NLC earlier directed UTAG to call off its strike, but this directive was not adhered to.
