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Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa has asked tertiary institutions that have not yet submitted their request for payment arrears of market premiums to do so since government cannot effect payment without a request being put forward. He said the delays in payment was not from government but from the institutions because as at Monday, 5th April, 2013, they had only received that of the University of Ghana Business School; adding, �the impression being created that government relaxed in payment after the 15th April communiqu� is erroneous (with all due respect)". He said the various institutions were to make a request through the NCTE (National Council for Tertiary Education) to the Ministry of Education, and then it will be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for final processing. However, �as at now, (Monday, 5th April, 2013) some institutions have still not submitted their request for payment: University of Ghana; main campus, Medical School, Dental School, School of Allied Health, College of Health Sciences, School of Nursing, College of Agric, Noguchi Memorial Institute, University of Health and Allied Sciences are yet to submit; we have only received University of Ghana Business School. The 25 million covers the institutions that have submitted their request. This should confirm that some of these delays are not from government because government cannot pay if these requests have not been made. This has been the practical challenges.� The Deputy Minister was reacting to the strike action by the University Teachers Association Ghana (UTAG). The Striking University Teachers embarked on the industrial action to protest the non-payment of their market premium arrears. The market premium has been paid; however, the teachers are asking government to also pay their book and research allowance before they end their strike. Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM, Hon Ablakwa said they are surprised that the teachers are bringing in another issue of book and research allowance. �The Communiqu� was on only Single Spine Premium arrears and nothing else�the reason for the delays is as a result of late submission of request from the various institutions. By 30 July, government had already authorized for payment to be made and so we thought the intended strike action will not have come on�it is quite surprising that now book and research allowance has been included. The research and book allowance is a long standing matter which is not part of the 15th April communiqu�. Since 2008, the university lecturers raised concerns that the polytechnic lecturers book and research allowance is more than theirs�if you ask government or UTAG how much is owed in research and book allowance, we cannot tell you because the negotiations are still ongoing� he indicated. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Simmons, President of UTAG speaking on the same platform has indicated that the association will be holding a meeting today, Monday, to discuss the way forward and to consider the plea from President Mahama and other well meaning people to call off their strike. �We are still on strike but yet to decide on when it will end in a meeting that will be held today� They have issued the cheques but it is left with the book and research allowance and that is what we are dealing with right now�,� he said