Allow university students to register - Ministry

Accra, Aug. 16, GNA - The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on Monday assured university workers that their concerns over non-payment of salary arrears was receiving urgent attention at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and appealed to them to allow students to register and go about other activities for the universities to reopen for the 2004/05 academic year without hindrance.

A statement signed by Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, explained that the delay in the release of funds to effect payment of the arrears was due to the inability of the authorities of the five public universities to forward some explanations to audit queries to some funds earlier released to them.

"The Ministry wishes to assure the TEWU (Teachers and Educational Workers Union) membership as well as UTAG (University Teachers Association of Ghana) and FUSSAG (Federation of University Senior Staff Association) members that the authorities of the five pubic Universities are working expeditiously on the queries and have assured the Ministry that explanation would reach the Finance Ministry by close of work on Wednesday, August 18, 2004 to pave way for the funds to be released for prompt payment of the arrears."

The statement was responding to an industrial action started by TEWU of the University of Ghana on Monday to protest against the non-payment of their salary arrears since January 2004. The strike led to the blocking of the main

Tetteh-Quarshie-Madina-Akwapim Highway, thus disrupting traffic flow. The workers also locked some lecture halls and other offices thereby preventing students from registering for the 2004 /05 academic year. 16 Aug. 04