The Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU) Branch of the Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) and Technical University Senior Administrators’ Association of Ghana (TUSAAG) have announced their decision to commence an industrial action effective August 25, 2023, according to a report by Citi News.
The groups have cited concerns regarding the vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Samuel Alnaa, who is allegedly attempting to modify certain aspects of their retirement benefits, despite the approval by the Ministry of Finance.
Additionally, they have raised concerns about ambiguities in the Technical Universities Act (2026), Act 922 as amended. Following a unanimous declaration of the industrial action, TUTAG Chairman of BTU, Dr Oswald Atiga, stated that all attempts to resolve the issue have been unsuccessful.
“We strongly reject our Vice Chancellor’s absurd interpretation of our CoS where he seeks to departmentalize the payment of our retirement benefits for our retirees by paying only three months (3) salary for the number of years served under the Polytechnic and then One (1) month salary for every year served effective only after 2031. We insist that any TUTAG or TUSAAG member who served for continuous 10 years under the erstwhile Polytechnic system automatically qualifies as an accrued right to enjoy this retirement benefit as pertains in other Technical Universities (TUs) across the country.”
“Our position in one (1) above is supported by Section 42 (6) of the Technical Universities Act (2016), Act 922 as amended which states that “A person in the employment of a polytechnic in existence immediately before the coming into force of this Act, shall, be deemed to have been duly employed by the respective Technical University established under this Act on the terms and conditions attached to the post held by that person before the coming into force of this Act”.
He added that the groups will only return to work if the vice chancellor does what is necessary by implementing their conditions of service as done by other technical universities.
“We demand the immediate payment of the internal component of the Online Teaching Support Allowance (OTSA) and its accrued arrears for teaching staff that have not been paid since January 2022, unlike other TUs that have paid up to date. Reference to our (TUTAG & TUSAAG) July 13th and 19th respective letters to the NLC, We of the Bolgatanga Branches of TUTAG and TUSAAG have hereby withdrawn all our services effective 1.00 pm today, the 25th of August 2023 until all our demands are met”.
