The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has sworn into office newly elected executives at the Central administration of the University for Development Studies (UDS) in the Northern region.
Outgoing President, Prof. Felix T. Y Longi, handed over to Prof. Mamudu A Akudugu as the new national president who prior to this elevation, was the UTAG UDS treasurer.
Other National executives who took over are the National Secretary, Dr. Eliasu Mumuni, the national Vice President, Prof. Victor Mogre, and Dr. Nashir Sulemana.
The newly elected executives will steer the affairs of UTAG national and UDS until October, 2025.
Prof. Longi, enumerated several achievements of his administration including welfare support, health cover support, establishment of a UTAG club house, improved promotion process among others.
The newly elected UTAG President, Prof. Akudugu, in a speech at the 21st National Congress at UDS in Tamale, stated that UTAG is the most unique yet diverse labour union representing Ghana’s intellectual community.
“We are the leading authority on higher education in Ghana, supporting and representing the community of scholars and engaging with policymakers, industry and international peers for the public good”, he said.
According to him, the meeting is a signal of the need for a paradigm shift in Ghanaian labor unionism as that is critical in demanding transparency, accountability, and transformative leadership.
“Today marks the beginning of a new dawn in UTAG to demanding decent salaries and other conditions of service for our members, we are committed to demanding accountability and transparency from people put in charge of the public purse”, he said.
He noted that UTAG cannot do all the foregoing with the current structures and modus operandi and that his tenure will work to strategically reposition the Association, focusing on three main pillars which include Leadership, Ethics, and Partnerships.
The president of UTAG demanded their employer, the government to as a matter of urgency, work with them and all other stakeholders to complete the negotiations for their Conditions of Service for implementation by January 2024.
“More importantly, we implore the employer to implement without any further delay the negotiated per litre rate for Vehicle Maintenance Allowance and Off-Campus Allowance and the arrears thereof Review the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) or in the meantime expand the levels and notches to accommodate our members or take us out of the Spine altogether”, he said.
Source:Fiilafmonline/Daily Guide
