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A Zimbabwean lecturer has declined a senior lecturer post at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in the Department of Physiotherapy and Sport Sciences over poor salary.

In a letter declining the offer by the university, Dr Matthew Chiwaridzo stated that the annual salary of Ghc55, 104.05 (USD 760.00 per month) is not comparable to a monthly basic salary of a Lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe (ZWL 1, 293, 708.00 per annum: USD 1.283 per month).

“Please note that I am currently in the Senior Lecturer grade (ZWL 1, 561 248.00 per annum; USD 1.500 per month) at the University of Zimbabwe by virtue of having a doctorate degree specialising in Physiotherapy, 35 publications, 2 awarded grant projects and 7 years of satisfactory teaching, industrialisation, innovation and research experience. It is for this economical reason a.e that I decline the offer of employment at KNUST and will want to explore other opportunities.”

The decision by the Zimbabwean lecturer comes days after the University Teachers Association of Ghana called off their two-week strike over poor conditions of service and the failure of the government to resolve long-standing grievances.

The 2012 conditions of service pegged the Basic plus Market Premium of a lecturer at $2,084.42 but the government has since failed to implement that condition of service for lecturers in the country. According to the President of UTAG, Professor Charles Marfo, the current arrangement has reduced its members’ basic premiums to $997.84.

He added that the entry-level salary of a lecturer is less than Ghc 2000 while a professor earns less than Ghc 5000 monthly.