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The University Teachers Association (UTAG's) meeting with the Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani and Vice-Chancellors of the various public universities, failed to yield a positive outcome, peacefmonline.com can confirm. Peacefmonline sources at the meeting say the parties failed to reach consensus on the terms of payment for the salary arrears owed UTAG since 2012. Government proposed three installments of payment of their monies, but UTAG proposed a one-time payment. �The government side proposed three installments ending in September and we were on our earlier stand; we want one-time payment and so we could not agree to the terms�,� UTAG President Anthony told the press. According to him, UTAG Executives will go back and inform its members of government's proposal, adding that �we just have to communicate to them, whatever they say we will communicate back.� He expressed surprised that after UTAG won a court case against the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission for the market premium to be paid them, Fair Wages went into negotiations with other unions over the payment of the same premium. Members of UTAG served notice on Thursday, March 28, 2013 of their intention to withdraw their services to give impetus to their demands for salary arrears to be paid in full and premium factor applied to the current basic salary. Below is a statement issued by government after the meeting with UTAG Executives on Wednesday Government held a meeting with leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to discuss the decision of the latter to embark on a strike action because of Governments� inability to make a lump sum payment of their 2012 market premium arrears. Government has indicated that the arrears of the market premium for 2012 shall be paid in 3 installments as follows: May 2013 - 4 months arrears July 2013 - 4 months arrears September 2013 - 4 months arrears The Chief of Staff, Mr. Prosper Bani who chaired the meeting, appealed to the university lecturers to call off the strike and resume work given Government�s undertaking to pay the arrears based on arrangements applicable across board for all other public sector workers owed similar arrears. The leadership of UTAG indicated that they will consult their membership and take a decision which they would communicate to Government. The Minister for Finance, the Chief Executive of Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Minister for Education, the Minister for Information and Media Relations and some Vice Chancellors of Universities were present. The Chief of Staff urged university lecturers to call off the strike whilst Government mobilizes the needed resources to pay the first tranche in May 2013. Signed Mahama Ayriga Minister of Information.