Although tertiary institutions in Ghana have been given the permission to re-open school after earlier restrictions by the Education Ministry, the University of Ghana (UG) authorities say the school cannot re-open on the proposed date.
Tertiary institutions were asked to suspend their re-opening dates due to fears of a possible spread of the Ebola disease by international students some of whom come from the affected Ebola countries in West Africa.
The sector Minister, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman has promised that the government will provide health professionals in all the universities with the requisite protective equipment in due course.
However, with the ongoing strike by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), according to the UG authorities has informed their decision to remain closed.
The Acting Registrar of the University of Ghana, Enoch Amartey told Citi News, until the UTAG strike is over, the school will remain closed.
�If the government is able to resolve the UTAG strike, then the university will come out with as to when it will re-open,� he said.
He indicated that the school issued a statement announcing the decision but �it unfortunately coincided with the government saying that tertiary institutions have to re-open.�
Mr. Amartey said the University of Ghana is maintaining its position �that it�s not because of Ebola that we are not re-opening but because of the UTAG strike.�
UTAG has been on strike for about a month following the refusal of government to pay its members their research and book allowance.
UTAG members joined their colleague Polytechnic teachers who have been n strike for close to four months over the same issue.
The Education Ministry has promised to settle the payment but the two teacher unions are adamant to return to work until the payment is effected.
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