Govt urged to honour agreement to avoid strikes

Koforidua, Oct. 15, GNA- The Principal of Koforidua Polytechnic, Dr George Afrane, has advised Government not to wait for workers of the Polytechnics to embark on industrial action before taking action on their grievances. He said a way out in seeking lasting solution to strikes at the Polytechnic front was for the Government to adhere to the principles laid out in the 'road map' agreed upon by it and other stakeholders to help prevent industrial disputes to enable the Polytechnics to "build up good image."

Dr. Afrane was speaking at the fourth congregation of the Koforidua Polytechnic, which saw the graduation of 570 students as holders of Higher National Diplomas (HND). Of the number, three candidates took first class honours, while 272 and 278 candidates obtained second class upper and second lower divisions respectively with 17 others obtaining a passes.

This brings to 6,757, the number of students who have passed out of the Polytechnic either with an HND or some other professional certificates beginning from the 1996/7 academic year. Dr. Afrane said Polytechnics require conducive industrial harmony to enable them to discharge their duties of modelling middle level manpower for the development of the nation.

He said the management of the school was working towards either introducing or upgrading existing professionals programme to the HND level.

Already, the Polytechnic, he said, has chalked a unique feat by becoming the first Polytechnic in the country to start a programme in Computer Science and Information Networking Management.

Dr Afrane said a seven-billion cedi allocation from the Ghana Education Trust Fund enabled it to undertaken an improvement of its infrastructure, but due to the dearth of problems the school faces, extra resources would be needed to put up more accommodation facilities for staff as well as build a library and laboratories. Mr. Mensah-Aidams David was adjudged the overall best student as well as the best graduating student in accountancy.

The Koforidua Polytechnic became the first tertiary institution in the Eastern Region when it commenced operations in 1996, with 47 students but the student population had increased to over 2,381 over a period of ten years.