TUTAG demands removal of NCTE Boss

The Technical University Teachers Association (TUTAG) has threatened to resume its sit-down strike if “the proposed meeting of stakeholders does not come off and no steps are take to migrate its members".

This was made known in a press conference addressed Monday by the Chairman of the Koforidua Technical University branch of TUTAG, Dr. Anthony Ayakwa.

According to TUTAG, the National Council for Tertiary Education, NCTE, is taking clandestine steps “to unnecessarily delay the migration of its members onto the payment structure of Public Universities as demanded by the law that established the Technical Universities."

He added that TUTAG on “20th September 2018 communique said that the National Council for Tertiary Education was going to have a nationwide staff audit and stakeholders were going to meet by 30th November 2018, to discuss the Report thereof."

"The staff audit was completed ahead of schedule but what is puzzling is that as of today 26th November, no report has been made available to the stakeholders before the 30th November meeting and neither have we received any invitation to the said meeting. This casts doubt on the adherence to the timelines agreed."

TUTAG stated that the Executive Secretary of the NCTE, Prof. Mohammed Salifu, has shown too much bad faith and therefore calling on the government to relieve him of his position “before he throws sand into the achievements of the government in the education sector”.

TUTAG suspended its 2-weeks sit down strike on September 27, 2018 after the NCTE met one of the conditions of providing the association with the scheme schedule for the staff audit to migrate them onto the public university salary scale.

The Audit was to verify staff appointment letters, original copies of certificates and curriculum vitae at the time of appointment.

Below is the statement;

PRESS BRIEFING

GOOD MORNING Ghana, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, National Council for Tertiary Education, National Labour commission, and Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG), Media men and women, Ladies and Gentlemen,TUTAG Koforidua Technical University Chapter is learning of the clandestine steps the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) is taking to unnecessarily delay the migration of its members onto the payment structure of Public Universities as demanded by the law that established the Technical Universities.

This surreptitious delay of the NCTE is causing a lot of tension and agitations on not only Koforidua Technical University campus but also, all the seven Technical University campuses.

We wish to state without any equivocation that if there is any disruption in the academic calendar of the Technical Universities in Ghana, the good people of Ghana should put the blame on the National Council for Tertiary Education and its Executive Secretary.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you all are witnesses to the 20th September 2018 communique signed between the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana and TUWAG on the one hand and the Honourable Minister of State-in-charge of Tertiary and the Honourable Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations on the other hand.

The 20th September 2018 communique said that the National Council for Tertiary Education was going to have a nationwide staff audit and stakeholders were going to meet by 30th November 2018, to discuss the Report thereof.

The staff audit was completed ahead of schedule but what is puzzling is that as of today 26th November, no report has been made available to the stakeholders before the 30th November meeting and neither have we received any invitation to the said meeting.

This casts doubt on the adherence to the timelines agreed.

TUTAG is aware of the feet-dragging altitude of the NCTE towards the legitimate demand for the migration of TUTAG members.

The Executive Secretary of the NCTE has shown too much bad faith and therefore we call on the government to relieve him of his position before he throws sand into the achievements of the government in the education sector.

It is the right of members of TUTAG to be migrated and paid like any Public University for academic work to run smoothly.

TUTAG Koforidua Technical University Chapter wishes to state and do hereby state that if by 30th November 2018, the proposed meeting of stakeholders does not come off and no steps are taken to migrate its members, the suspended sit-down strike will be reactivated.

Thank you.