Teacher trainees unhappy with payment of utility bills

The leadership of Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) has registered its discontent with regards to principals who consistently extorted monies from teacher trainees in the name of utility bills.

A statement signed by Tagbor Sampson, the President TTAG and issued to the Ghana News Agency, said the Government had on countless platforms made it obvious that students of tertiary institutions, for that matter teacher trainees, should not be worried with the payment of utilities.

It said the position of government was affirmed again in a meeting at the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 between the Ministry of Education, Electricity Company of Ghana, Ghana Water Company Limited, VC Ghana, Ministry of Finance, the National Union of Ghana Students, Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students, the National Conference of Principals of Teacher Training Colleges, and the TTAG.

“We, therefore, respectfully appeal to the authorities of our tertiary institutions, especially, colleges of education, to desist from charging utility bills in the coming academic year (2016/2017) since it is illegal and a violation of government's directives.

“We again passionately appeal to principals to desist from harassing our constituents over the payment of utilities and to also make refunds for those who have been compelled and humiliated to pay,” the statement said

It called on all trainees to put in much effort in their academic work as they prepared for the impending end of second semester examination.