Ursula Owusu slams government over UTAG strike

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma West of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ursula Owusu, has slammed government over the 2012 market premium arrears of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).

Ursula Owusu, speaking on “Kokrokoo” on Peace FM, chided government over certain investments it has been making at the expense of addressing the concerns of the university lecturers who have threatened to embark on strike if they do not reach a consensus with the government.

She believes the Mahama-led government has lost touch with reality. Alluding to some actions and inactions of the incumbent government, she described the posture of the incumbent government on the UTAG situation as an act of “robbing Peter to pay Paul".

She expressed disappointment in the Mahama administration for marginalising teachers in the country, when government officials are ruining the economy.

To her, government is squandering money on unnecessary projects and also paying huge sums of money to “ghosts”. This she believes is a contributory factor to the teachers’ strike threat.

She therefore appealed to government to wake up and take the appropriate measures to better the lives of Ghanaians.

“The ones which are not a priority for you and me, the government will get money or search for money for us to go and pray in Israel, then say it is a philanthropist. As that is important to the government, so the government will look for money to do it," she said.

“I plead with the government; people are struggling. The future of our children is at stake. Our health issues too are disturbing. So, if we can stop the unnecessary things, showy showy projects and focus on the essentials; it would help all of us."