Tension is mounting at Ho Polytechnic over government’s delay in paying book and research allowances to lecturers to undertake research duties.
The situation, according to the chairman of the Ho Poly chapter of the Polytechnic Teachers’ Association of Ghana (POTAG), Albert Laurent Sakabutu, is disrupting academic activities and some members of the association are calling for a strike action.
According to him, the lecturers have since the 2015/2016 academic year not received the allowances, despite several promises by government. To make matters worse, he said the allowances for the 2016/2017 academic year would soon be due yet there seems to be no indication of the arrears being settled let alone the new ones.
He therefore asked the government to speed up the payment of this year’s allowances so as to avoid any disruption of academic work for 2016/2017 in the tertiary institutions.
The concerns expressed by Ho-Poly follow a similar statement issued barely a week ago by their colleagues in Takoradi Polytechnic and the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (UTAG).
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Background
Book and research allowance is an annual statutory requirement enshrined in the conditions of service of polytechnic teachers. They are supposed to be paid at the beginning of every academic year, which normally begins in September.
However, “It is frustrating to note that even the allowances for the 2015/2016 academic year have since not been paid,” laments Mr. Sakabutu. He was sceptical that 2016/2017 allowances which are due this September will be paid.
His scepticism stems from the fact that despite several assurances, none of the lecturers has received anything.
He recounted that at the POTAG handing over event in February this year, the Deputy Minister in-charge of Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, claimed that “Government has taken serious notice of the dire consequences of the annual ritual of labour agitations on academic work in respect of the delay in the payment of the Book and Research Allowances to the polytechnic teachers,” he observed and promised that “The ministry will expedite action on the inputs for the payment of the 2015/2016 academic year allowances and make sure payment is made latest by the end of May 2016.” Yet, nothing has happened so far, according to Mr Sakabutu.
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Strike Action
Mr. Sakabutu complained that he was constantly being queried by his colleagues on the delay but did not know how to even persuade them any longer, adding that “This delay is creating a lot of tension on all polytechnic campuses, making some members agitate for industrial action.”
From Fred Duodu, Ho (freduoo@gmail.com)