POTAG threatens strike

*over govt decision to offload staff onto CAGD system *

Members of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana are threatening to go on strike due to government’s decision to offload polytechnic staff unto the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department Pay System.

They argue that the Controller & Accountant General’s Pay System will not be effective in addressing salary issues owing to existing problems with the Integrated Personnel Payroll Database 2 (IPPD2). They said this in a press conference in the Eastern Regional Capital, Koforidua.

Members of POTAG argue that offloading Polytechnic Staff unto the Controller and Accountant-General Department Pay System will not be in their best interest. They say documents submitted to the Controller and Accountant Generals office for inclusion into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Database (IPPD2) came out with lots of inaccuracies.

They say the deletion of several names and the inclusion of other unknown names in the list of some polytechnics submitted, shows enough evidence that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department cannot effectively handle their salary issues.

Members of POTAG also say there is no provision for payment of overload allowances for polytechnic teachers who teach in excess of the maximum teaching hours per week.

Owing to several examples in the labor front, POTAG argues that the Controller and Accountant Generals Department as acquired by polytechnic teachers.

In addition, members of POTAG say the Controller and Accountant-General Department will not be prompt in the payment of loan deductions, and will definitely not be able to pay premiums to credit unions, mutual funds and other facilities as would be needed by the polytechnic teachers. This they believe would result in unnecessary legal actions against some.

They are furthermore calling on their Standing Joint Negotiating Committee (SJNC) to reconvene to negotiate their conditions of service and that of TEWU which expired in 2008. They are also calling on the committee to secure Conditions of Service for Polytechnic Administrators Association of Ghana.