UTAG gives government one week ultimatum over unpaid Book and Research allowance

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has issued a one week ultimatum to Government to pay its 2017/2018 academic year Book and Research Allowance (BRA) or it will advise itself.

They said in spite of the fact that all necessary documents to facilitate payment has been presented to the appropriate Government institutions, Government has remained unyielding to its demands.

The Association called on Vice Chancellors of Public Universities and other stakeholders to take note of its concerns in order not to blame them should the next academic year’s calendar experience disruptions.

Dr Eric Opoku Mensah, National President of UTAG, at a press conference in Cape Coast, expressed dismay with the apathetic attitude of the Government even though a new academic year was about to begin.

“Following the lackadaisical attitude of government, UTAG on the 7th of July, 2018 wrote to the Minister of Finance and copied to other institutions of Government connected with the processing and payment of the BRA about the need to make the payment by 16th of July to forestall agitations on our various campuses” he said.

He said UTAG’s plea to Government to pay their BRA by Wednesday July 16, 2018 had gone unheeded while the Ministry of Finance has also refused to formally respond to its letters.

Dr Mensah said the inability of the Government to pay the BRA has created uneasiness on the various campuses of public universities and as leaders they could no longer manage the uneasy tensions.

He said UTAG is committed to delivering quality education in Ghanaian public universities but would not countenance the insensitivity and unnecessary delay with respect to addressing its concerns.

Source: GNA