The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has called on government to help bridge the gap between the public servants and the article 71 office holders, Republic online has learnt.
The UTAG is arguing that, government, has on a number of occasions refused to review their pittance remuneration for their annual research allowance.
The association is also decrying the retrogressive conditions of service the government has meted out to them.
In a presser dated January 8, 2022, the UTAG made it clear that, it will lay down it tools to embark on nationwide strike on Monday, January 10, 2022 to exercise its displeasure at the way its been treated by the government.
The UTAG President, Professor Solomon Nunoo in an interview with Kwame Koranteng on Anɔpa Dawuro on Republic Fm, revealed that, it very appalling as to why the government has refused to adjust salary increment for public sector employees. To them, it is not monetary problems because salary increment for article 71 office holders were made possible.
“We were here when a report came out and allowed a 50-79% salary increment for article 71 office holders. That was able to go through. So why can’t we do same for us?
The same report that allowed the adjustment to go up also called on the government to bridge the gap between the public servants and the article 71 office holders and so, you see, the gap between the public servants and the article 71 office holders is too wide, that’s is we’re saying the government must be eager to bridge the gap” he said.
According to the UTAG President, it looks as if the political class are no where close to the public servants employees.
He stated that, the single spine salary structure that was introduced to address these issues has failed to live up to its expectations.
“For the single spine structure, if I’m not afraid, I will say single spine salary structure has failed to live up to its expectations.” He said
Responding to questions on why the UTAG wouldn’t want to continue their duties whiles its continues to engage with the government, Professor Solomon Nunoo disclosed that, students will be allowed to go ahead and address their concerns and also register for their various examination purposes whiles new entrants can also go ahead and take on their orientation processes.
Meanwhile, the Association has stated that since it released the presser, government has not made any attempt to engage the stakeholders to address the challenges but it is waiting to hear a positive response from the government by the close of the day.
The association, is also calling on the government to reinstate the single spine pay policy that was frozen in 2013 after a whitepaper was issued.
“We want the government to reinstate the single spine pay policy, because in 2013,our basic pay was 114% of the basic but after the whitepaper was issued, the basic salary has been reduced to about 50%” he said.
