PNC Urges Government and UTAG to overcome differences

The leadership of the People’s National Convention (PNC) finds the current impasse between the University Teachers Association of Ghana and the Government of Ghana thus the Ministry of Education as very unfortunate particularly as far as achieving the nation’s vision of a middle-income status is concerned. The PNC is alive to the fact that a congenial work environment is critical to achieving high productivity, and worker motivation is crucial in this regard.

The PNC urges Government and UTAG to without further delay iron out any remaining differences so that our students can be assured of continuing their education. The current plight of the university student across the public universities is regrettable. It is worth stating that this impasse affects students’ daily expenses as well as that of parents in keeping their words in school without lessons.

In addition, it also adversely affects some communities, and the impasse has had socio-economic effects on transport operators, food service providers and others who offer their services to the university communities. It is our firm belief and considered position that a timely intervention by Government will make good of its belief and campaign promise of “investing in people, the economy and jobs”, of which the university student is no exception.

It is for this reason that a PNC-led government will make good the constitutional provision of making education progressively free to include tertiary education as against the current over-emphasis on basic education – a solemn duty the Dr Nkrumah and Limann administration worked tirelessly for which we see the evidence of such effort in the current crop of adult generation in Ghana.

Not only should a sense of urgency guide Government’s action in resolving the UTAG impasse but also see to the betterment in the socio-economic condition of the Ghanaian.

We also urge government to put in policies and programmes that would avert such impasses with all its agencies. These actions be they from the civil service, security services, and educational institutions always derail national progress. We find also appalling that some sections of students’ would engage in abusive language on a matter like this with a potential of stagnating our collective match forward.

UTAG and Government must find common grounds for the good of mother Ghana.

Bernard A Mornah

General Secretary