The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) says the University of Ghana (UG) should close down following the uncertainty regarding the commencement of academic work.

NUGS says the resolution of the local Chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UG-UTAG) to boycott classes, despite management’s decision to begin academic work on Monday, is unfortunate.

The Union noted in a Twitter post on Monday that “students cannot continue to bear the brunt of this strike action,” adding that “if the teaching is nowhere in sight, shut down the school.”

Lecturers are expected to return to classrooms on Monday, February 28, despite votes to reject suspension of the strike, according to UTAG.

The resolution of the UG-UTAG not to comply with the Business and Executive Committee’s schedule for teaching and learning is rather unfortunate. Students cannot continue to bear the brunt of this strike action. If the teaching is no where in sight, shut down the school.

— National Union of Ghana Students (@NUGSOfficial) February 27, 2022

This is part of its commitment to temporarily comply with the court order to resume work after an injunction was granted to the National Labour Commission (NLC).

However, UG-UTAG Chapter has noted their inability to comply with the decision of the Business and Executive Committee for the resumption of teaching today.

According to the Chapter in a mail signed by Secretary to UG-UTAG, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, their resistance is because the UTAG-National Executive Committee’s decision to suspend the strike has been rejected by most members of public universities in Ghana.

In a response, the University’s management has entreated the lecturers to resume work because “the strike has been suspended.”

“The Business and Executive Committee has not varied this decision, and lectures are therefore expected to take place until such a time that the University is officially notified of a resumed strike action.”

“Additionally, UG-UTAG is hereby notified of a directive from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) asking all public-funded universities to make provision for the resumption of teaching and academic activities, following receipt of notification of the suspension of the strike action by UTAG NEC.”

The School has charged Heads of Departments, Deans and Provosts to ensure that academic work for 2021/2022 begins today.

But NUGS believes the appropriate action to take amidst this back-and-forth is a complete closure of the University.