A Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Institutions, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has assured polytechnic teachers that government will soon pay their August salaries that were frozen as a result of their earlier strike.
The Polytechnic Teachers Association (POTAG) declared a strike on May 15 to protest government’s decision to scrap the Book and Research Allowance.
The Association however called off its three month long strike after a series of negotiations with government.
Government after paying the May, June, July salaries of the striking teachers, decided to freeze their August salaries for no work done. On Tuesday the teachers threatened another strike if government does not release their salaries.
But speaking to Citi News, Mr Okudzeto urged the teachers to be calm saying “We believe that the August salaries will be paid. What we’ve called for is patience because it takes time to process these payments. From what we are gathering from the Controller and Accountant General’s Department the August Salaries will be paid so they just have to exercise patience with the Controller so that these salaries are processed.”
POTAG threatened to strike again if government refuses to pay them their August salaries but the minister urged POTAG not to disrupt the academic calendar since issues surrounding their August salaries will be resolved soon.
“Government is guided at all times by the fact that we need to ensure normalcy, that the academic calendar should not be disrupted and that all times let us create a very peaceful atmosphere so that teaching and learning can go on on our campuses. That is what really guided our actions and decision,” he said.
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana