Rescind strike action – NUGS to UTAG

The leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has asked members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to cancel their strike action.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has directed its members nationwide to withdraw their teaching services in solidarity with their counterparts at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).

“It is our firm belief that the issue at the UEW is an attack on academic freedom and thus affects all public universities in Ghana,” it said in a statement signed by its National President, Dr Harry K. Agbanu.

But a statement released by Akwasi Opoku Agyeman, NUGS General Secretary, on Monday, September 18 said: “The Executive Committee of the National Union of Ghana students, as a matter of urgency, appeals to the leadership of UTAG to rescind their decision on calling for a nationwide strike in solidarity with their counterparts at UTAG UEW.

“Their decision is premised on their call to get the Winneba High Court to reinstate the Vice Chancellor and Finance Officer, stating ‘it is our firm belief that the issue at the UEW is an attack on academic freedom and thus affects all public universities in Ghana,’ in their press release.

“The students of Ghana are also of the firm belief that the action on the part of our tutors is a major attack on the students of Ghana and education at large, as their premise for the strike, we believe, has been deliberately widened to frustrate the judicial process as the avenue they are using is not justifiable.

“The Union acknowledges the need for UTAG to stand with their own, but more importantly stand with their students who are now at the receiving end of their action. We use the opportunity to call on the Chief Justice to call for an expedition of the hearing, with the belief that justice delayed is justice denied. The major solution to the legal process is a speedy trial.

“We are by this release, also calling on students within the university setup not to sluggard, should the strike action persist as leadership will also be engaging the heads of UTAG subsequently to return to class so as not to create a negative effect on the academic structuring of the year.”