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Public universities across the country have been shut down not because of government�s attempt to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus disease (EVD) affecting the West African sub-region but because of the ongoing strike action of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), DAILY GUIDE has learnt. UTAG�s University of Professional Studies (UPSA) Local Charter Secretary, Dr Charity Boateng and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) National Chairman, Atimbila Baba, disclosed this to DAILY GUIDE in separate interviews on the sidelines of the inauguration of FUSSAG UPSA Local Charter on Wednesday in Accra. According to them, there was already an intended strike action by UTAG over government�s failure to meet its (UTAG) members� books and research allowances which the Ministry of Education is fully aware of, describing the move by the ministry in telling the public that universities were being closed down due to the Ebola disease as �misleading�. Mr Baba indicated that �it is not the issue of Ebola. The issue is on the strike action. They know that UTAG is on strike and as long as UTAG is on strike it�s not advisable to allow parents to allow their children to come to school. Ebola is a secondary issue.� It would be recalled that the Ministry of Education on Tuesday in Accra announced the closure of tertiary institutions across the country as a measure in combating the possible spread of the Ebola virus which has killed over a 1000 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria recently. The decision by the Ministry followed the advice of the inter-ministerial team to postpone the reopening of the institutions for at least two weeks to ensure that the universities in Ghana prepare adequately to prevent an outbreak of the disease. However, Dr Boateng stated that measures have already been taken by government to screen foreigners entering the country from affected countries within the sub-region and that there was no need for postponing the reopening of school due to fear of Ebola spread once screenings have commenced at the various border points. According to her, �Foreign students at University of Ghana have already arrived for the academic year. Secondly, if these students are to enter the country, they are expected to be screened at the various border points.� She added that �it�s not because of the Ebola virus that universities are still closed down. The real issue is the UTAG strike.� Furthermore, she noted that �the message being fed to the general public is different from what is happening and it is as if the Minister of Education and her colleagues do not know what is happening in the educational sector.� Asked how far the Ministry of Education and UTAG have gone with negotiations in settling the book and research allowance issue, she said, �We will be having meeting with the Vice Chancellors of Ghana next week in Kumasi to address the concerns of UTAG.� Dr Boateng noted that until the issue is addressed, universities would remain shut down.