Members of UTAG are demanding for better conditions of service
The Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN) of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Tertiary Education Students Confederacy of New Patriotic Party (NPP) have slugged over how the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (UTAG) issue has been handled.
Representing TESCON, Greater Accra coordinator Daniel Obeng aka Barrister, was of the view that the issue of labour should not be politicized.
He claimed that strike actions would forever be with us hence politicians must desist from politicizing the matter.
Appearing on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, the call by UTAG for better conditions of service is a step in the right direction, and the government will negotiate with them on the matter.
He argued that there is no need for the opposition to engage in cheap populism and feed on the matter.
He indicated that there would still be strikes irrespective of the government in power, but it takes a responsible government to negotiate with labour on their demands.
He said the role of teachers must not be treated with scorn because they have contributed to the development of this country.
He was hopeful the negotiations would go well so the teachers would go back to the classrooms to lecture.
Representing TEIN, the National Deputy Coordinator, Ekow Gyan, said the government had failed to address the issues raised by UTAG.
To him, UTAG had better conditions as of 2012, but when the NPP government won power, it reduced their conditions of service.
Members of UTAG he posited have been intimidated, attacked and disrespected for demanding their conditions of service.
He added that President Akufo-Addo lacks respect for teachers, adding, his recent utterances that teachers could not be millionaires were disrespectful.
Ekow Gyan quizzed whether the President and his appointees are better persons than public sector workers to be treating them with disrespect.