THE TUSSLE between Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) and the government over their book and research allowance has taken another twist as the Association has given indication of their readiness to go any length to realize their wish.
According to them, the decision by government to replace the two allowances with a research fund ?is premature, misplaced and calamitous.?
However, ?Government should have rather maintained the book and research allowances which are already inadequate and needed upward adjustment, while it creates the research fund to complement the two when necessary,? they indicated.
They, have, therefore, served the government and all Ghanaians notice that ?POTAG is prepared legally, physically, psychologically and even spiritually to resist government or any of its agencies who attempt to make its members worse-off.?
They also gave government up to the end of January 2014, to call a proper stakeholders? conference on the matter and find a better solution to the problem.
These were contained in a press statement read during a press conference by the Association in Ho recently.
The press statement was read by the Chairman of the Tamale Polytechnic Chapter, Kukurah Jamal-Deen and signed by the National General Secretary, Atiga Oswald.
The conference attracted at least two representatives of the Association from all the 10 regions.
The lecturers who were unhappy about the development noted that although they had been patient, reasonable and realistic in their demands for better conditions of service, government had persistently turned a death ear to them.
Jamal-Deen explained that the government in its desperate attempt to cut down cost wanted to sacrifice the career of polytechnic lecturers and the future of its students.
They reminded the government that the allowances were negotiated for and agreed upon and therefore, no single party could unilaterally take decision for them, because if that was to be the case, POTAG would have increased the two allowances, long ago.
Apparently, the research and book allowances for the whole year are GH?400 and $1,500 respectively. They noted that the current research allowance ?cannot pay enumerators, let alone, pay for publication in reputable journal which would cost between $500 and $900. More so, the book allowance would not be able to cater for more than six books in a whole year.
They, therefore, called on Ghanaians, particularly GNUPS to stand up to persuade government to rescind their decision.
POTAG also called on the Education Minister, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, whom they believed understood and appreciated their position to explain the challenges better to government, for a change.
From Fred Duodu, Ho
