The Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) has cautioned the government to ensure it releases its book and research allowance by the first week of July 2016.

Chairman of the Takoradi Polytechnic Chapter, Michael Appiah said it is this type of delay by the government that results in industrial action by the Association.

“Some years back the payment is delayed to the latter part of the year and that always necessitate strike and industrial action,” he said.

POTAG defied all odds to stage a two-month nationwide strike following the decision of the government to replace the current book and research allowance with a research fund.

The government claimed academia is not churning out the needed research materials for the development of the country, hence its decision. However, eventually the government paid the allowance to the lecturers.

Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed to lecturers and faculty heads of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on June 16 that the Finance Ministry has released GH₵37 million for their research allowance.

But speaking to Joynews, Appiah complained the academic year has ended yet the book and research allowance has not been released.

“We are not even expecting to strike [at the moment], but we are only saying that let’s ensure that once government says it is paying by the first week in July let’s ensure that we all meet the deadline,” he said.

“We all heard the deputy minister that government has already released money for the payment,” he said, noting this announcement by the government has “given membership [of POTAG] expectation that the book and research allowance is going to pay very soon.”

“We are expecting that first week in July it should be paid,” he added.