The Leadership of POTAG has expressed strong resentment at public statements of the ministry of education after POTAG’s inconclusive meeting with the Ministry on Monday June 30.
The Minister of Education, Professor Jane Nana Opoku Agyemang in a meeting with POTAG on Monday Appealed to the striking lecturers to call off their strike and return to the classroom.
A day later, however, congress of POTAG responded in a five pointer communiqué maintaining their resolve, not to return to the classroom.
Some of the reasons they cited were that the meeting failed to address the main issue that culminated in the strike.
It said that nothing the minister said pointed to the fact that they will be any effort to pay their book and research allowances.
Speaking to Ultimate Radio, Chairman of the POTAG Takoradi Chapter, Michael Appiah said POTAG was angered that the deputy sector minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablaquah goes about created the impression that the ministry was committed to meeting the demands of POTAG.
“I was surprised yesterday on TV3 when the honorable Okudzeto Ablaquah said they have met us and they were about resolving the matter.
He said they paid the amount last year September and therefore have not said they are not going to pay the Book and Research Allowances,” he fumed.
He indicated that the minister of education Prof. Nana Opoku Agyeman only told them at the meeting to return to the classrooms in the interest of the students as several parents and students had appealed to the ministry to do something.
According to POTAG, they can consider the entreaty as a mere sentimental appeal which failed to address the substantive issue. Mr. Michael Appiah sounded a call to government to “tell Ghanaians the truth and the real issues on the ground.”
He questioned why government will ask them to return to the classrooms while the issue still remained in court.
He added that they will remain on strike until all the issues involved are addressed.
POTAG is due in court on Monday, the 7th of July, 2014 to continue its legal tassel with the National Labor Commission over the legality or otherwise of its strike action.
