Three prominent unions in Ghana have issued a stern ultimatum to the Ministry of Finance, warning that they will embark on industrial action on August 9, 2024, if their demands for the payment of agreed allowances are not met by August 8, 2024.
The unions, comprising the Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress (TEWU-TUC), are adamant that their members have been unfairly neglected.
In a strongly worded statement dated August 5, the unions voiced their frustration over the Finance Ministry’s failure to authorize the payment of the Vehicle Maintenance Allowance (VMA) and other related allowances.
“The Unions have given the government (Ministry) up to the close of work on Thursday 8th August to release the letter. Failure to do so will result in the Unions being forced to take industrial action on the 9th of August, 2024,” the statement read.
This ultimatum underscores their determination to ensure that the government honors its commitments.
The unions have expressed dismay that despite efforts by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to facilitate the payments, the Ministry of Finance has remained unresponsive.
“We have tried to engage the Ministry on several occasions to release a letter to that effect so our members could be paid but the Ministry has refused,” they lamented.
This lack of cooperation has left many university staff without the allowances they are entitled to, causing significant discontent.
Moreover, the unions have accused the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) of complicity in the delay. According to them, GTEC has instructed universities not to pay the new rate until the Ministry issues an authorization letter.
“Now the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission is ordering the universities not to pay the new rate until a letter from the Ministry authorizing the payment is released,” the unions stated, highlighting the bureaucratic hurdles they face.
The unions believe these tactics are deliberate attempts to withhold what has been rightfully agreed upon, describing the situation as a classic example of Machiavellian tactics employed by the government.
