Polytechnics administrators hold annual conference

The Polytechnic Administrators Association of Ghana (PAAG) has appealed to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to speed up negotiations on the conditions of service for members of the Association.

The Association also urged the government to act as a matter of urgency in implementing the Categories Two, Three and Four Allowances of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSS).

The appeal was contained in a nine-point resolution issued and signed by nine chairmen representing nine polytechnics and the National President of the association during its 4th Annual Delegates Conference held in WA.

The PAAG appealed to the government to as a matter of urgency resolve the impasse in the polytechnics, adding that if nothing was done within the shortest period, the PAAG might be forced to react.

The association urged government to concretize its promise of transforming the country’s polytechnics into Technical Universities by 2016.

It also called for a halt in the imposition of Fund Managers, Trustees and Custodians of the Pension Scheme and impress on National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) to issue certificate and transfer monies accrued from January 2010 to date to Fund Managers.

The association expressed its dissatisfaction at acts of intimidation by some persons in Management of Polytechnics against its members in their quest to seek fair treatment and called for it to cease with immediate effect.

It noted that because of such intimidators in the system, industrial harmony had been in danger in some of the campuses.

The PAAG urged members to work hard in their respective institutions to improve productivity in tandem with the PAAG motto “Service with Excellence”

The association called on government to take practical steps to fix the ailing economy and reduce the hardship on the ordinary Ghanaians.

Mr. Peter Yaw Kosoe National President of PAAG called on government to improve the conditions of service of the Polytechnic Administrators for enhanced productivity.

He said the Association was fully in support with those in the teaching force and might force to join them if nothing is done to resolve the situation.

He explained that, from all indications, the government seems to pay less attention to the Polytechnics as compared to the other tertiary institutions, pointing out that the book and research allowance should not be a problem between the association and the government.

Dr. Mohammed Musheibu Alfa, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, said the Polytechnic Administrators constituted a major pillar in the Polytechnic education system and their role in ensuring effective teaching and learning could not be overemphasised.

He said the government was aware of the current economic difficulties facing the ordinary Ghanaian and had demonstrated with passion its willingness to improve the living conditions of the worker through the implementation of the 10 percent cost of living allowance to cushion all public sector workers against the current economic difficulties.

“The protracted industrial action of the PAAG is leading to the closure of our Polytechnics thus, grievously affecting the 2013/2014 academic year, a similar action by the University Teachers Association of Ghana could disrupt the 2014/2015 academic year” he said.

He said blame games particularly on management and government was not a solution and challenged the PAAG to go beyond identifying faults but proffer solutions to challenges to enhance efficiency and service delivery.

“Much is expected from the educational sector where standards are fast deteriorating to the detriment of desired national development and all stakeholders should help raise the standard of education at the polytechnic level where a bulk of middle management personnel is produced,” he said.

He appealed to organised labour to use laid down procedures to seek redress to their grievances and not hasten to call for industrial action which in the long run reduces productivity and worsens the already poor economic situation.

Dr. Mushiebu appealed to Ghanaians to heed government’s appeals to bear with the situation and sacrifice for a better tomorrow.