Legon Closed Down

Accra - The Premier university of the nation, university of Ghana, Legon has been closed down indefinitely.

This followed the withdrawal of services by Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) since Thursday April 15, 199 and the consequent suspension of teaching by the University Teaches association of Ghana (UTAG) on Wednesday, April 28, 1999.

In a statement issued and signed by Mr. T. Tabi for the Registrar of the University, it said this has become necessary in the light of continuing withdrawal of services by TEWU with attendant breakdown of sanitary services in particular and other services essential for normal academic work to go on.

As result of this, the statement said the Executive committee of the academic Board of the University on May 7, 1999 decided that teaching and examining for the rest of the second semester of 998/99 academic year should be formally suspended and students sent home.

According to the statement, efforts are being made for students on special admission or international programmes to complete their studies under special arrangement and foreign students will be provided a package to alleviate the hardship.

It added that continuing students would be recalled to campus as soon as circumstances permit and prospective freshmen would be notified of the date on which the next academic year would commence.

Recounting incidents leading to withdrawal of services by TEWU, the statement said in a correspondence dated November 12, 16 and 30, 1998, TEWU wrote to the committee of vice-chancellors and Principals (CVCP) asking for negotiation under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to commence.

The CVCP wrote on December 7, 1998 to request from Government the mandate to negotiate with TEWU under CBA. Inspite of several reminders, CCP did not receive any response until March 9, 1999 when the National Council on Tertiary Education informed CVCP that they had been directed by the minister of education to inform CVCP that "in view of the current exercise being undertaken by the Central Management Board on the Price Waterhouse Report, it would be advisable to suspend salary negotiations for a while.

According to the statement, the Consultation between the unions, CVCP and Government continued until Thursday, May 6, 1999 hen it became apparent that no further progress could be made on the issue under discussion.

When The Independent visited Legon campus on May 8, 1999, some students were preparing feverishly to leave for home. They condemned the ruling NDC government's attitude towards university education in the country.

It would be recalled that in 1995, the country's universities were closed down for almost a year following an impasse between the UTAG and the government.