National President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Professor Charles Marfo, says in the row between the Association and the government, students are their bargaining chips.

According to him, their strike would have been meaningless if there was nothing at stake.

“If our strike is not going to affect anybody, why would we want to go on strike?  And so I do understand, the students really do understand that they’re the only bargaining chips we have.  And that is unfortunate, but we need to do that,” he said on JoyNews’ Newsfile, August 7.

He explained that it has become necessary for the country to be told about the low salary levels university teachers have been subjected to over the years, so as to allay the misconception that all is rosy.

He stated that this tactic is to ensure that the government responds appropriately to their demands which they had presented to it some four years ago.

“When people want to suggest that you’re living well and you know yourself that things are not all that well, you can only let them know what the realities are. And that is exactly why we have government attempting to negotiate with him [Counsel for UTAG] on condition of service presented to them some four years ago,” he said. 

He intimated that with the mandate given to them by University Teachers across the country, the Executive Council of the UTAG will employ every single weapon in their arsenal to make sure that the government gives them their due.

“I want to believe that we have been overly magnanimous and that is why people have not shown any seriousness with the resolution of issues that concern UTAG.

“This time with the resolution from our people, they have given us the mandate to go all out to insist on what is due us and so with this mandate, we can only hope that government will begin to sit up and do the right thing,” he said.

The UTAG has been on strike since Monday, August 2, demanding restoration of a 2012 Single Spine Salary Structure agreement that would have seen entry-level lecturers earn the cedi equivalent of $2,084 monthly.

The government had said it was confident the concerns of the Association will be resolved, so its members must return to post.

According to Bright Wereko Brobbey, Deputy Employment Minister, the government is meeting with leaders of the striking Unions to find common ground. He insists that the government has shown commitment to address their issues.

However, negotiations broke down when both sides showed no commitment to back down on their demands.