We’re not returning to the classroom until the council is restored – UTAG

The President of UTAG, KNUST Chapter, Professor Eric Fokuo has maintained that lecturers would not return to lecture halls until government restores the governing council of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Speaking with Winston Amoah on 3FM’s Sunrise, Monday, Professor Fokuo insisted that UTAG will not recognize the interim council set up by government and there is no way they will join.

Government reconstituted the seven-member interim council to include UTAG and Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU).

Prof. Fokuo categorically stated that the Council is not recognized because it is a “coup d’etat”, stressing that the government cannot impose on them something they do not believe in.

UTAG does not have a problem with government setting up a committee to investigate issues, he explained, but dissolving the council is what they are not in favour of.

They want an independent body to investigate last Monday’s violent protest to identify and penalize students who vandalised property on campus.

Professor Fokuo stated that the local UTAG will only call off the strike if the council is restored.

He described government’s handling of the confusion between management of the university and students as “unfortunate” because the Education Minister did not recognize them as stakeholders.