The General Secretary of Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG), Anthony Ayarkwah, has called on the Government to dissolve the National Labour Commission (NLC), which according to him has not been up to the task. Mr Ayarkwa, who said this in an interview with Eye Witness News on Citi FM on Thursday, was responding to a directive issued by the NLC, asking POTAG members who are currently on strike to return to the classroom and start teaching immediately. Polytechnic teachers just like their colleagues in the Universities, have not been working since Monday October 11. POTAG is aggrieved that government through the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has failed to negotiate their conditions of service that expired in 2008. According to POTAG, its main concern at the meeting was the conditions of service of its members and not the level of placement of its members on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS). POTAG has met with both the National Labour and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission but has stated clearly that it has lost confidence in the duo. “I saw the directive somewhere but I have not received my copy yet. What I want to say is that, it is their directive but they are not binding us because we stated clearly to them that we have lost confidence in the two commissions. So I am even surprised they are coming out with this directive. In all fairness, if you look at the Labour Commission that is supposed to be arbitrating and bringing two parties together to solve problems and per the way they are digressing, I think the entire country should lose confidence in the Labour Commission because they are not up to task” he stated. He said although the Commission was set up by an Act of Parliament and could seek legal action against POTAG, it could be dissolved. “Of course it was established by law so Government can dissolve it. Personally, because we have lost confidence in them and the fact that they are unable to address issues, I am really calling for their dissolving. It should be dissolved because they are not trying to solve issues. All they know is that, your action is illegal or go back to the classroom. Per the directive that they have issued, there are no substantive issues so what are they talking about? He asked. Mr Anthony Ayarkwa told Citi News that at a hearing with the Labour Commission on Wednesday, POTAG made it clear to the Commission that its decision was going to affect the academic work of polytechnics in Ghana. “We told them it will undermine the academic progress of most students in the Polytechnics and that we have no control over what happens to our members. If we are given a directive, we can communicate it to our members but as to whether to call off the strike or not, it’s not within my purview to do that”. Source: Citifmonline.com