UTAG serves notice over University Councils

THE University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (UTAG) has given the government a two-week ultimatum to have all public universities’ councils constituted.

The association has also charged the government to make conscious efforts within the two-week period to pay the Book and Research Allowance (BRA) effective July 12, 2017.

UTAG made this known in a press release signed by its president, Dr. Harry Agbanu.

“UTAG has noted with extreme dismay that Government, since taking office on the 7th of January, 2017, has not been able to constitute the councils of public universities in Ghana,” the statement indicated.

“The government’s inability to do this, whilst having constituted otherimportant boards of the state after six good months in office, we believe, demonstrates government’s lack of concern of the health of public universities,” UTAG lamented.

It therefore threatened, “UTAG would advise itself, should government fail to appreciate our concerns and comply accordingly.”

According to the release, UTAG had noted with grave concern government’s steps with regard to two major issues currently affecting lecturers and the administration of public universities in the country.

These, the association maintained, are delay by government in the constitution of the various councils of the public universities and its

implications on management and administration of the universities; delay in the release of the 2016/2017 Book and Research Allowances and its implications on research, teaching and learning.

The Acts establishing all public universities require that university councils preside over or have oversight responsibility over the administration of these institutions.

“It is common knowledge that the absence of statutory boards like the university councils, almost incapacitates the smooth and cohesive running of the public universities in Ghana and, therefore, cannot carry out their legitimate businesses properly and as independent academic institutions,” the association noted.

In effect, it observed, “All the public universities in the country are in a state of some sort of inertia.”