The National Executive body of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has questioned the motive behind a press conference held by its University of Ghana’s branch against the Public University Bill (PUB) currently before parliament.
The national secretariat of UTAG had earlier on the morning of Wednesday, September 16, 2020 issued a statement distancing itself from a planned press conference on issues relating to the bill by UTAG-UG and threatening to sanction its UG branch should they go ahead with the press conference.
The statement explained that UTAG had voted against such conferences by its branches in the various universities since it is engaging with major stakeholders including the executive arm of government on their concerns which it said is yielding positive results. It said the intended action of UTAG-UG could potentially break Association’s front and undermine the collective efforts of its members.
However, the University of Ghana branch of the Association went ahead with the press conference despite the caution from its mother body.
Reacting to UTAG UG disregard of its caution in an interview on Joy FM, Spokesperson for UTAG National Secretariat, Dr. Samuel Boadi Bert Kusi suggested that the actions of the UG branch of UTAG is ill intended.
While accusing the local branch of the Association of usurping the powers of the national executives, Dr. Boadi Bert Kusi questioned the motive behind their actions which he said is against the principles of unionism.
He reiterated that the Association’s stance has always been against the bill in its form but added that there has been “a major shift” in government’s position regarding some of the issues they had expressed concerns over.
“Granted that UTAG UG is pursuing a course which is also appreciated by the branches, why is it that it is UG that is leading that when we have national executive officers? Why are they usurping the powers of the very body they are part of. What is their motive?” he squeezed.
Dr. Kusi disclosed that the Association will be meeting to consider sanctions against the UG branch over its actions. He said the UG branch of the Association had apologized over similar actions in the past and the Association accepted the apology and reversed its decision to apply sanctions “but this time they have usurped the power of the national body and we think it is most unfortunate”.
