[ 2014-04-15 ]

Prof Naana Opoku Agyeman - Education and Finance Minister Seth Terpker

NLC summons finance, education ministers over teachers' unpaid book allowance
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has summoned
both the Finance and Education ministers to appear
before it to explain why book and research
allowances to university teachers have not been
paid.

Members of the University Teachers Association of
Ghana (UTAG) gave government an eight-day
ultimatum, which ends Tuesday April 15, 2014, to
pay their allowance or risk a nationwide boycott.

The two ministers Seth Terpker (Finance) and
Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman (Education) - are
therefore expected to appear before the NLC
Tuesday with concrete steps taken to address the
lecturers' concerns.

UTAG President Dr. Samuel Ofori Bekoe, told Joy
News previous meeting which the lecturers have had
with NLC and the two ministries -- in a bid to
address sticking points in the payment of their
book and research allowance -- have not yielded
positive results.

He indicated that the lack of progress at these
meetings was because subordinates, instead of the
ministers themselves, were sent to arbitration.

According to Mr Bekoe, although government had
indicated it was replacing the book and research
allowance with a national research fund to better
the lot of lecturers, monies allocated for new
fund was less than what it used to give to
lecturers.

“If you used GHc10 million to pay book and
research allowance and you say in this new
situation you are establishing something that is
better (national research fund), however what you
are putting down is GHc3.5 million, how can be
better?” He quizzed.

University lecturers had stated in communique that
the government’s decision to scrap teachers’
book and research allowance, and replace it with a
national research fund was unacceptable.

The lecturers said although they were not against
the creation of the fund, such a facility should
not replace their book and research allowance.

The communiqué further stated that the objectives
for the introduction of the book and research
allowance was more relevant currently, due to the
large numbers of students admitted to the public
universities, which had increased the research
burden on the lecturers in terms of theses and
project supervision.

“If the government goes ahead with the proposed
abolition of the book and research allowance, it
will have grave implications for the future of the
public universities in Ghana,” the communique
had said.

On February 2, the Ministry of Finance and
Economic Planning announced the release of
GH¢3.75 million for the establishment of a
research and innovation facility.

Consequently, the ministry authorised the
Controller and Accountant General to open an
account for the facility and transfer the amount
into it.

A statement issued by the public relations unit of
the ministry said the amount represented 25 per
cent of the GH¢15 million set aside in the 2014
Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the
purpose.

It was announced in the 2014 Budget Statement that
to encourage more research work in tertiary
institutions and to realise its full benefits, the
government had decided to review the existing
system of payment of book and research allowances
and replace it with a research facility.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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