The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) is calling on the government to promptly address the concerns raised by the Senior Staff Associations of the universities in the country.
The Senior Staff Association of the Public Universities in Ghana (SSA-UoG) and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff (FUSSAG) declared an indefinite nationwide strike on January 17, 2024, citing the government’s neglect of their welfare.
The senior staff’s demands, including the payment of two-tier pensions and overtime allowances, have reportedly gone unattended, leading to the strike. The withdrawal of services, including healthcare, administration, and security, is affecting final-year students who require supervision from senior technicians during practical sessions.
Daniel Oppong Kyeremeh, the President of NUGS, expressed concern about the impact of the strike on academic progress, describing it as a hindrance to the advancement of academic work.
The call from NUGS adds to the pressure for a swift resolution of the issues between the government and the senior staff of the universities.
He said, “We’ve had complaints, especially from students who are now in their final year, third year, and particularly science students who will mostly be engaging in practical sessions, needing these senior officers, especially technicians in the labs. The students are all complaining because they have not started their final-year projects and will need the strict supervision of these technicians, who are senior members. All these individuals are needed in the labs and offices. Each role played by these individuals helps in the smooth running of academic activities.”
He thus called on the government to address this issue as soon as possible with the unions.
“We are just asking the government to sit down with these unions and come to an agreement with them. According to their conversations, they have been fighting for these conditions of service for years, and the government keeps rescheduling meetings and not giving them proper attention.”
Mr Oppong emphasized the need for the government to provide clear reasons for their inability to meet the demands for improved conditions of service. He highlighted that the absence of essential services provided by senior staff is adversely affecting the advancement of academic work.