Ho Poly POTAG cautions gov’t over unpaid research allowance

The Ho Polytechnic Chapter of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana, (POTAG), has asked Government to speed up the payment of this year's book and research allowances, in order to avoid the distraction of the 2016/2017 academic year for tertiary institutions, as has been recorded in the past.

A statement signed by the POTAG Ho Poly Chairman, Albert Laurent Sakabutu cautioned that the delay is heightening tension among teaching staff on various polytechnic campuses.

The caution from Ho comes barely a week after a similar one was issued from the POTAG, Takoradi Polytechnic chapter  and the   University Teachers Association of Ghana , (UTAG).

The payment of Book and Research allowance to Polytechnic Teachers in Ghana is an annual statutory requirement enshrined in the conditions of service of the Polytechnic Teachers.

These allowances are supposed to be paid at the beginning of every academic year, which normally begins in September of every year.

But Mr. Laurent Sakabutu in the statement said “In September 2016, we will be due for the payment of the 2016/2017 academic year Book and Research Allowances, but it is frustrating to note that even the allowances for the 2015/2016 academic year has since not been paid.”

The delay in the payment of these allowances in the past has led to numerous and protracted labour agitations in all Polytechnics resulting in the disruption of both academic work and calendar.

According to him, they had expected that the release of the allowances for this academic year would have been swift following some assurances by government.

“It is therefore refreshing to note in February 2016 at POTAG handing over ceremony in Accra, through the Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Education that, Government has taken serious notice of the dire consequences of the annual ritual of labour agitations on academic work in respect of the delay in the payment of the Book and Research Allowances to the Polytechnic Teachers. He therefore promised that the Ministry will expedite action on the inputs for the payment of the 2015/2016 academic year allowances and make sure payment is made latest by the end of May 2016.”

“We are now in July 2016 inching towards August 2016 yet these allowances have not been paid and we have no clue again as to what exactly is responsible for the delay. In fact, no hour passes by without a call from at least a member demanding to know when exactly these allowances will be paid. This delay is creating a lot of tension on all Polytechnic campuses leading to some members agitating for industrial action.

“This is a wakeup call for Government and we are by this statement requesting Government to take the necessary urgent steps to get these allowances paid as soon as possible to avoid any further disruptions in the academic calendar,” the statement said.

They entreated Government to begin working on the inputs for the payment of the 2016/2017 academic year allowances, which will be due in September 2016 to promote teaching, research, innovation and development, which are the key performance indicators and benchmarks for evaluating the successes of the technical university era.

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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie