NUGS threaten massive UTAG solidarity demo





The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has served notice it will embark on a massive demonstration in solidarity with striking lecturers.

The students fear the week-long strike by the university lecturers may travel into months if steps are not taken to resolve the matter.

The University Lecturers announced a sit down strike last week over unpaid allowances.

Government at a meeting with the lecturers resolved to pay the arrears in three installments, a proposal leaders of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) disagreed but said they were first going to consult their various constituents before coming out with an official statement.

The various UTAG groups have voted at their various campuses and have rejected the proposal from government, insisting that their arrears must be paid in full.

With comments by officials that government is cash trapped, at least for now, it is feared the strike by the university teachers may prolong a while longer.

The students union said it is disappointed by the feet dragging of the government and warned they will hit the streets if nothing is done to resolve the matter.

General Secretary of NUGS Eugene Akom Damptey told Citi News they have done their part to ensure that the problem is resolved amicably and if nothing is done by government they will have no choice than to hit the streets.

“The pressure hitting the leadership of NUGS is that the students are being affected. It has already affected the University calendar.

“We have met with UTAG, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Ministries of Education and Finance. If at this time on Wednesday we don’t hear anything, then it is our right to stand up and do something and that is when we will demonstrate to them that what they are doing is affecting us,” he said.