No cash to pay University of Ghana lecturers & workers

Teaching and non-teaching staff of Ghana’s premiere university in their thousands, will have to wait a while longer, as management searches for money to settle their March salaries, allowances and other benefits due to non-availability of cash.

The management of University of Ghana (UG), has since served notice, it is unable to pay this month’s salaries, as anticipated, because the government has since the beginning of this year, failed to release money to settle salaries, allowances and benefits.

According to the notice signed by the Registrar, Mercy Haizel-Ashia, the university had to borrow from unnamed sources to settle salaries, allowances and benefits in January and February, this year.

An internal memo sighted by this paper headed “March 2018 salaries”, announced that “it is not possible to borrow for a third month to pay salaries”hence the prior notification.

“The University community is informed that processing and release of compensation subvention for January and February 2018 has been delayed therefore payment of March 2018 salaries cannot be made as scheduled”, the memo said.

The Registrar’s notice released on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 could not tell when the funds will be ready, except to say the University is working around the clock to get the issue resolved, but only said “Efforts are being made by management to ensure that the delay does not prolong. My office will keep the community informed”.

The Herald’s sources at the University of Ghana, say the notice from the registrar, has thrown the community into a state of anxiety, especially when the announcement did not hint any time line, as to when the workers will be paid.

Some students are also unsure whether lecturers, will continue to remain in the lecture halls to facilitate their studies.

It also uncertain whether , management and others such as cleaners, security personnel, technicians, gardeners and others, are also going to remain at posts with this unprecedented development in the annals of the respected university.

It is not also clear, what is happening at other state subvented public universities like the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Accra Technical University, Ho Technical University, University for Development Studies (UDS), University of Energy and Natural Resources, the University of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Professional Studies (UPSA) among other public tertiary institutions.