Students decry UTAG impasse

Accra, Sept.5, GNA - A cross-section of tertiary students affected by the industrial action of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) for better conditions of service, on Friday expressed dissatisfaction about the deadlock in negotiations that has delayed the starting of academic work for 2003-2004.

A random sampling of views from students at the University of Ghana, Legon, the Accra City Campus (Workers' College) as well as the University of Cape Coast (UCC) revealed a general feeling of despondency, especially among final year students (Level 400). Some of the students who GNA spoke to questioned the rationale by the authorities of the University of Ghana slapping a penalty of between 200,000 cedis and 500,000 cedis on students for late registration when lectures had not started.

Mr Anthony Gingong, a level 400 Social Science student, said although he supported the legitimate demands of UTAG for better remuneration, members of the Association should not do so at the expense of helpless students.

"Some fresh students are in their third week now without any serious academic work.

" This is the first time some of them are in Accra and imagine the plight of those from very far away?"

"I do not support the payment of penalties at the faculty and departmental levels and the central administration of the University when there was no compelling reasons for a punitive action."

Mr Gingong, however, commended lecturers, who supported especially the fresh students in the registration processes.

Mr Alex Lambom, a student at the Accra Workers' College, said he travelled from Bunkpurugu in the Northern Region for the academic year, adding, "just staying in Accra doing nothing is time wasting and too expensive".

Mr Dindiok Joseph Kpamka from the UCC said as a final year student he did not want to entertain any disruption in the academic calendar. "UTAG and government must sit down and strike a compromise as soon as possible."

Mr Felix Asante of the University of Ghana said the University should be closed down in line with laid down regulations. "The regulations say that the University should be closed down when there are no lectures for three days. There hasn't been lectures for over two weeks now," he explained.

A source at the Students Representative Council of the University of Ghana told the GNA that the student body would come up with an official position on the impasse soon.