'UTAG members don’t mind going to jail; nobody can compel a teacher who is hungry and angry' – Prof. Gyampo

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) is accusing government of using intimidation to get them suspend their nationwide strike.

The industrial action by the lecturers, in demand of better conditions of service, is now in its third week.

This stand-off between UTAG and the government has become a source of worry among students, who fear the academic calendar could be disrupted.

But the Secretary of the University of Ghana chapter of UTAG, Prof. Ransford Gyampo says not even a court action would cause them to resume work until their demands are met.

“Just to put it bluntly; we are not negotiating. UTAG has given its demands and for now, the government has not said anything to those demands. So we are not negotiating. We are willing to meet them in court because we know they will take us to court. Times are hard, but government finds money for whatever they want to do. So they should be engaging us frankly and honestly. Instead of them doing that, they have resorted to intimidating us.”

“They are worsening the situation because nobody can compel a teacher who is hungry and angry and has taken to industrial action to go back to the classroom. Members are aware of the actions, and they have resolved that [even] if it means they will commit all of us to prison, we are ready”, Prof. Gyampo cautioned.