Lee Ocran
In a swift reaction to the latest industrial strike embarked upon by the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) on Monday, the Minister of Education, Lee Ocran, has issued a stern warning to the teachers to return to class or lose their salaries.
According to the minister, the teachers should use the proper channels to address their grievances.
Speaking on Joy FM yesterday, the visibly infuriated minister fumed, “They [POTAG] should stop this type of game, what is it?”
Mr. Ocran argued that for the polytechnic teachers to declare strike, it meant they were shirking their responsibilities, hence a justification for withholding their salaries.
Critics tell DAILY GUIDE that this stance could pit the Ministry against POTAG in a fierce battle that might extend the industrial strike indefinitely.
The polytechnic teachers have been locked in a battle with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Ministry of Finance for a while now. Their contention is that these two government agencies are responsible for the delays in migrating their payroll onto the new salary scale, the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).
However, the FWSC has maintained that they cannot be blamed for the delays. According to FWSC, POTAG should rather direct its grievance towards the payroll agency, the Controller and Accountant General (CAGD), which has been dogged with technical hitches.
In a press release issued last week, POTAG’s leadership stated that they had had several consultations with all the relevant public agencies responsible for their pay and they had been made to understand that their new salaries would be effected in May, 2012.
However, the polytechnic teachers association has said they were convinced that the assurances they had received were just lip service. “Information received by POTAG leadership from the Deputy Controller (FMS) at the Controller and Accountant General’s Department indicate that the final authorization from the Ministry of Finance had not come and so old salaries will still be paid for the month of May 2012. We particularly take exception to this because it contravenes the understanding we had with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP), FWSC and the CAGD”, POTAG stated.
According to the President of POTAG, Godfred Abledu, the strike action had therefore become necessary because they believed their concerns would not be addressed unless some drastic action was taken.
Meanwhile, the strike, which is currently indefinite, will suspend teaching, project supervision and invigilation of examinations in all the nation’s polytechnics.
By Raphael Adeniran