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Our Students Have Done Nothing Wrong; Let’s Resume Work – Opanyin Agyekum To University Lecturers
Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum has welcomed the decision of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to suspend their strike action.
He is thankful the lecturers did not let their annoyance about how government is dealing with their grievances cause them to act in any manner that would have resulted in the students needlessly bearing the brunt of their actions.
The University teachers, who went on strike since the early part of last month on grounds that the government hasn’t met their demands for better conditions of service, on Monday, February 21, 2022 rescinded their decision following an emergency meeting held by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to evaluate their industrial action.
Temporarily Suspended
In a statement jointly signed by the group’s National President, Prof Solomon Nunoo and National Secretary, Dr Asare Asante-Annor, UTAG said it has “agreed to heed the advice of the eminent leaders, the Select Committee on Education and the court ruling to suspend our strike action…”
The suspension of the strike is expected to last till March 4 by which time UTAG says it hopes to have reached a favourable consensus with government during its deliberations.
Why UTAG Strike?
UTAG has been on strike since January 10, 2022, over government’s failure to review their conditions of service since 2017.
The Association wants government to restore their 2012 conditions of service which pegged the monthly income of entry-level lecturers at $2084 and also claims the current arrangement has reduced its members’ basic premiums to $997.84.
Prof. Agyekum’s Take
Making his submissions on Peace FM’s morning show ”Kokrokoo”, Prof. Kofi Agyekum held a view that the lecturers including himself should heed the decision by their executives.
Advising the teachers to go back to the classrooms, Prof. Agyekum stated it isn’t the students’ fault that their conditions of service haven’t been resolved, and therefore urged them to resume work while the government and UTAG leadership works out a compromise.
“….accept it that the students haven’t done us anything wrong…our grievances are with government....if we see it that way, we won’t act to the detriment of the students because of government’s actions or inactions”, he added.
Source: www.peacefmonline.com
Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, says more than 15,000 Ghanaian workers have lost their jobs following a directive issued by the Chief of Staff.
According to him, the dismissals affected not only people employed after the 2024 general elections, as stated in the directive, but also workers who had been lawfully employed as far back as 2017.
Raising the issue on the floor of Parliament, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the Minority uncovered evidence showing serious excesses in the implementation of the directive.
“We became aware that although the letter was specific to those recruited after the 2024 elections, Ghanaian youth who were employed as far back as 2017 were all dismissed from their lawful employment,” he said.
He explained that the Minority filed a motion in Parliament to investigate the matter, which was admitted by the Speaker. However, the process has faced several delays.
According to him, the Majority Leader raised a preliminary objection to the motion, which was upheld by the First Deputy Speaker. The Minority later filed a motion for review under the rules of Parliament, which was also admitted.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the review motion was moved by him and seconded by the Member of Parliament for Ofoasi- Ayirebi, while the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor , began the debate on behalf of the Majority side.
He noted that the House was expected to continue the debate the following Tuesday to allow the Speaker to rule on the matter, but this has not happened due to other parliamentary business.
“Several times the motion appeared on the Order Paper, but we could not take it,” he stated.
The Minority Leader stressed that the delay is having serious consequences for affected workers and their families.
“This is a matter that affects the livelihood of Ghanaians. We have in excess of 15,000 Ghanaian youths affected by this directive, and they are still at home,” he said.
He added that the Minister for Employment has acknowledged receiving petitions on the issue and has initiated investigations, but said that should not stop Parliament from carrying out its own inquiry.
“These Ghanaian youths are sitting at home. Their wives, their extended families are all affected. It has been over a year, and they are not getting any justice,” he added.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin appealed to the Leader of Government Business to ensure that the motion is included in Parliament’s report and debated to allow the House to make a final decision on the matter.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Director of Communications for the United Party, Solomon Owusu, has expressed strong disappointment following the Supreme Court decision to quash the rerun of the Kpandai parliamentary election.
Mr Owusu made his views known while reacting to the ruling, stressing that he would feel deeply disappointed if he were in the position of Matthew Nyindam, the current Member of Parliament for Kpandai.
He explained that the High Court had earlier examined the case in detail and arrived at a clear determination on the matter.
According to him, the High Court found that the election was compromised and that rigging took place with the involvement of the Electoral Commission.
Mr Owusu pointed out that when the New Patriotic Party moved the case to the Supreme Court, it did not challenge the substance of the High Court findings.
He stated that the appeal was based purely on a point of law, arguing that the National Democratic Congress was time barred when it went to court, and not that the alleged rigging did not occur.
In his view, this means that Mr Nyindam remains in Parliament through an election process that did not reflect the true will of the people of Kpandai.
Mr Owusu noted that this was why he had expected a rerun of the election, to allow the MP to return to the constituency and properly establish his authority through the ballot.
He explained that a rerun would have given Mr Nyindam the opportunity to prove that he genuinely won the 2024 parliamentary election.
With the rerun now quashed, Mr Owusu questioned how the MP could celebrate or take pride in the court outcome.
He stressed that he would no longer take contributions made by Mr Nyindam in Parliament seriously, as the legitimacy of his mandate remains questionable in his view.
Mr Owusu further argued that the Supreme Court decision has shortchanged the people of Kpandai.
He described the ruling as unfair to voters who woke up early on election day, queued patiently, and voted for a candidate of their choice, only for their will to be undermined.
According to him, the outcome raises serious concerns about justice, electoral credibility, and respect for the democratic rights of the people.
By: Jacob Aggrey
