T'di Polytechnic withdraws from POTAG

Accra, Feb.1, GNA - The National Secretariat of Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Takoradi Polytechnic after accepting its withdrawal from the Association.

The Association said T-poly would not benefit from any negotiations that would be extended to members of POTAG.

A letter signed by Mr Michael A. Brigandi, General Secretary of POTAG, said the decision was taken based on a letter addressed to the Secretariat of the intentions of Takoradi Polytechnic (T-POLY) to withdraw from the National POTAG.

This was due to the suspension of T-POLY POTAG in October last year for conducting their examination when the Association had declared a strike.

It said upon receiving the withdrawal letter from T-POLY, POTAG convened an emergency meeting with the aim of resolving the issue but T-POLY did not show up at the meeting.

The letter said: "Congress was, therefore, compelled to accept their decision."

It said upon the withdrawal, outcomes of POTAG negotiations on salaries and conditions of service would not affect T-POLY "and also the Principal, who is still a member of POTAG and the Chairman of T- POLY cannot attend standing joint negotiation committee (SJNC) meetings.

"T-POLY will be debarred from participating in inter-polytechnic games if they are accompanied by their teachers.

"However, if the organisers of games find the presence of the unaccompanied students inimical to the success of the games they can be turned away."

The letter said: "The entire membership of POTAG is determined to ensure that these implications are brought to bear on T-POLY, we, therefore, advise them to reconsider their decision."