The Ghana Association of University Administrators has urged the government to pay the Book and Research of Senior Members of Public Universities and Polytechnics for 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 academic years.
The association expressed disappointment at government’s unilateral decision to scrap the facility and replace it with the National Research Fund as announced in the 2014 budget statement.
A statement issued in Tamale on Thursday and signed by Mr Kwame Ohene-Ampofo, National President of the Association said, leadership of the group was not consulted about the government’s intention to scrap the allowance.
It explained that the Book and Research allowance was tied to the Professional and Administrative Senior Members’ conditions of service and was introduced through collective bargaining between the government and Public Universities.
It said abolishing of the facility should not be a unilateral decision and that government’s action would have implications on the overall conditions of service of the Senior Members of the universities and also affect the future of public universities.
The statement said the rationale behind the introduction of the Book and Research allowance in 1995/1996 academic year are more relevant today considering the fact that students’ enrollment had increased in public universities.
It entreated government to engage stakeholders in the formulation of modalities for administering the proposed National Research Fund, which would replace the Book and Research allowance.
The statement said the two, National Research Fund and the Book and Research allowance have separate functions and both must be allowed to exist.
Source: GNA