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A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Colleges of Education Teachers Association (CETAG) and the government, signaling progress in resolving the ongoing strike that began on June 14. CETAG initiated the strike due to the government’s failure to implement agreed-upon arbitral awards and service conditions as mandated by the National Labour Commission. This action has resulted in deserted campuses and left students stranded.
Maxwell Bunu, CETAG’s National Trustee, addressed the media, stating that most of the association’s concerns have now been addressed. He mentioned that a decision on ending the strike will be made after further discussions with CETAG’s leadership.
“The issue of all-year-round work and then the de-freezing of the July salary and the payment of the August salary—I think all these concerns have been addressed. And as a National CETAG Trustee, I don’t think with my experience here, it will be prudent for CETAG to remain on strike. So as we have indicated here, we would certainly go back and convey all the issues that have been discussed and approved of by the officials here, so that by the close of tomorrow, with consultation with the council, I think we will do the needful because we cannot continue to be on strike forever,” Bunu explained.
In the meantime, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, assured that measures are being taken to compensate for the lost academic time. He urged students who had left campus due to the strike to return quickly so that classes can resume.
“Let me also take this opportunity to plead with our students, who perhaps may have gone home as a result of the strike action, to also hurry up and return to school so that academic work can resume. PRINCOF and CETAG have been tasked to work together to make sure that the hours lost are made up in a very short time so that it does not affect the next academic year,” Awuah stated.