'Our Pension Is At Stake' - UTAG President Explains Why They're On Strike

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has been on strike in protest against government's inabiity to address their conditions of service.

The University teachers have asked the government to resolve their salarty issues as well as other bad conditions that they find themselves in which have either not been taken seriously or have been neglected by the government.

The Association is demanding a little over $2,000 as an entry-level salary for lecturers.

As the teachers are on strike, it appears they are being insensitive particularly regarding the repercussions of their action on their students.

But according to the President of UTAG, Professor Charles Marfo, the teachers are not insensitive but rather they seek to have what is due them.

Speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' programme Monday morning, Prof. Marfo explained that before they embarked on their strike action, they had already given the government three (3) months notice to rectify their problem, but the government turned a blind eye to them.

He noted that the government paid no attention to their demands, hence forcing them to take this action.

He also expounded that their main issue for going on strike has to do with their pension, disclosing since 2014, they have only been receiving allowances, instead of their premium remunerations; adding the, "allowances do not take any significant effect on their pension''.

This, to him, is to say that their strike is aimed at protecting their future when they go on retirement.

''. . our salary keeps reducing . . . it has a bearing on our pension. We're talking about our pension, not to cook and share eggs for us to eat," he said.

He hoped the government will resolve the impasse as they go to the negotiation table.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana