University Administrators call for implementation of revised approved fuel rate for industrial harmony

By J. K. Nabary

Winneba (C/R), June 6, GNA – The leadership of Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) have expressed dissatisfaction with the discriminatory implementation of the newly approved fuel rate and related allowances by the government for staff and officeholders in Public Universities.

“We wish to sound a note of caution that if the revised approved fuel rates and related allowances with the effective date of January 2024, are not implemented by the end of June, we will lay down our tools,” they stated.

The Leaders on behalf of their members sounded the caution in a press release signed by Dr Mrs Beth Offei-Awuku, National President and Mr Kojo Oppan, Acting National President of Technical Universities Senior Administrators Association-Ghana (TUSAAG).

They also copied the Minister for Education, Ministry of Education, Minister for Finance, Minister for Employment and Labour relations, Chief Executive Office, Fair Wages and Commission and others who matter in this regard.

They stated that their dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that conventionally, fuel and its related allowances in public universities were payable to all eligible categories of staff and administrators in the Universities.

However, for first time since eligible staff and officeholders started receiving fuel allowances, the government, and its assigns in charge of authorising the payments had flouted a directive by the Ministry of Finance in May.

The Associations indicated that there were attempts to discriminatorily implement the directive with different effective dates despite their signed Certificate of Bargaining Agreement (CBA), with government which clearly stated the approved public universities rate to apply.

They described that action as ‘untenable, unacceptable, unfair and an affront ‘to the principle of equity in the administration of allowance.

“Government is again reminded that other critical issues are pending between it and the university Administrator Unions whose deadlines are fast approaching….

“It will be of utmost importance for these demands to be considered promptly to foster industrial harmony on our university campuses,” they added.

GNA