The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) is calling on the Government to pay the 2017/2018 academic year Book and Research Allowance (BRA) as a matter of urgency.
According to the National President of UTAG, Dr. Eric Opoku Mensah, all attempts by executives of the Union for the payment of BRA have proved unsuccessful.
Dr. Mensah made the call at a press conference held on UCC campus
"The National Executive Committee of UTAG has observed with dismay the inability of Government to pay the 2017/2018 BRA to its members as of today, 25th of July, 2018, in spite of the fact that all the necessary documents to facilitate payment have been presented to the appropriate institutions of Government several months ago," he noted.
Dr. Mensah said following Government's lackadaisical attitude, the UTAG on July 7, 2018, wrote to remind the Minister for Finance and copied relevant institutions with the processing of the payment of BRA . He said the Union cautioned Government on the need to pay BRA by July 16, 2018, in order to forestall agitations on campuses of the various public universities since the 2017/2018 academic year has almost ended. “It is sad to note that, as of today, the plea to Government to pay the BRA by the 16th of July, 2018, has gone unheeded and the Ministry of Finance has refused to formally respond to our letter," he indicated. He added that "For us, this is indicative of the condescending treatment UTAG receives from Government over the years with respect to the payment of the BRA".
Dr. Mensah said “UTAG therefore, wishes to inform and plead with the public and our students that should the next academic year’s calendar be disrupted, it is not to blame”. He said the Union was notifying Vice-Chancellors of the public universities in Ghana about its concerns. He reiterated the fact that UTAG was committed to delivering quality education in Ghanaian public universities but would not countenance the insensitivity and unnecessary delay with respect to addressing its concerns.
Present at the press conference were representatives of UTAG on some campuses of public universities in Ghana.