Committee on UTAG strike presents reports

Accra, Oct 20, GNA - The Committee set up by President John Atta Mills to look into the concerns of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the subsequent strike action, has presented its report.

President Mills who received the report at the Castle, Osu, said Government would study it and implement the recommendations. President Mills expressed Government's appreciation to the seven-member Committee and said Government was grateful for the call by the UTAG members at University of Ghana and the Ghana Institute of Journalism to suspend the strike action as Government negotiates to find a lasting solution to the impasse.

President Mills called for restraint on either side, urging them to exercise good faith and to let the national interest to reign supreme. Professor Asabre Ameyaw, Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, who chaired the Committee, said the Committee worked "day and night" to meet the deadline.

He said the work was enormous and therefore the Committee had to fall on other experts for advice. He mentioned Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education, and Dr Kwame Dufuor, Finance Minister, as some of the people who supported the exercise.

It would be recalled that the Vice Chancellors of Ghana's public universities met President Mills at the Castle last Friday to discuss the UTAG strike and the current crisis on the campuses of the major Universities.

The meeting agreed that there was need for further clarification to enable Government to seek a lasting solution to the problem. The seven-member Committee was made up of representatives from the Vice Chancellors Association of Ghana, UTAG, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

The members comprised the Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors or the representative as Chairperson, two representatives from the UTAG National Secretariat, one each from the Ministries of Finance, Education, Employment and Social Welfare, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission with the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education as Secretary.

The terms of reference were to review all documents pertaining to the UTAG demands and make appropriate recommendations for the consideration of the President by Wednesday, 20th October, 2010.