The Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) says its members have begun moving to the universities to teach due to difficulties in negotiating for better conditions of service.
POTAG has described the situation as worrying and called on government to soften its stance regarding negotiating with the polytechnic teachers.
POTAG and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission have been meeting to resolve an impasse relating to salary negotiations but are yet to make progress. The final mediation process has stalled due to government’s refusal to negotiate with the teachers. General Secretary of POTAG Anthony Ayarkwah told Citi News that Polytechnics in the country will soon be without teachers if the current impasse is not resolved with immediate effect.
Anthony Ayarkwah disclosed to Citi News that over sixty-two Polytechnic lecturers have migrated to the Universities during the period of the impasse. “They say they cannot negotiate so we said that they should find ways around it so that we can prevent the Polytechnic lecturers from migrating to the University because the qualifications are the same and if we don’t take time all the lecturers will leave”.
“Reports shows that within the period we did not negotiate an average of 62 lecturers have moved from the Polytechnics to the Universities so it quite worrying and we realise that there is the need for something to be done. The Fair Wages and Salaries have to do wild consultations and get back to us on Monday to finalise everything”.