Akatsi (V/R), April 11, GNA – The Akatsi Chapter of the Colleges of Education Non-Teaching Staff Association of Ghana (CENTSAG) has joined the nationwide strike of the Association on grounds of welfare issues affecting members.
The issues included wrong placement of first-degree holders, non-payment of migration arrears, exclusion of payment of generic allowances, partial payment of office holding allowances, and non-payment of Interim Market Premium Arrears.
A visit by the Ghana News Agency Monday morning to the Akatsi College of Education (Akatsico) saw offices such as the Administration, General Office, Procurement, Accounts, and Internal Audit, among others under lock and key with red bands fixed on their doors.
Workers in those various departments were also not seen carrying out their usual mandatory duties including drivers and kitchen staff.
Mr Frank Asare, the Akatsico Chapter President of CENTSAG, told the GNA that government should address their concerns without delay since “the issues raised have lingered for quite some time.”
“These could have some legal implications if not addressed immediately,” he said.
He appealed to the authorities of the 46 colleges of education to desist from engaging new workers from outside to work while the strike action continued.
He apologised to the entire student body for the inconveniences the strike action had brought to them.
Some members of the CENTSAG, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed their dissatisfaction over government’s disregard for their concerns.
Mr Dotse Bright Kekeli, President, Students Representative Council, Akatsico, said the situation was having dire effects on the students “since feeding is becoming a big issue now.”
The action would affect the Level 100 students who commenced their end of semester examination on Monday, April 11.
“We now resort to buying food from the canteen on campus and some also move to the town to buy it, which would affect our academic and safety concerns,” he said.
Mr Kekeli appealed to the Government to expedite work on solutions to the Association members’ concerns so that the College, which had a total student population of 1,607, would continue to run effectively.
A statement jointly signed by Mr Frederick Forkuo Yeboah, the National President of CENTSAG, and Mr Samuel Opoku, National Secretary, on April 4, served notice to embark on an indefinite strike starting April 11 to press home their demands for better conditions of service.
“The decision to embark on strike has been necessitated by the continuous disregard for the issues raised affecting the welfare of our members and we are, by this release, informing all our members with exception of the security class to stay away from the colleges until otherwise instructed,” the statement said.
GNA