UTAG Strike: Some political hands are stirring tension against government - Allotey Jacobs

Former Central Regional Chairman of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has called on government to hold a stakeholder engagement with the striking lecturers to resolve the impasse.

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has complained bitterly about their conditions of service, therefore embarking on a strike action with the hope of getting government to address their grievances.

One paramount concern they share is about their remuneration as the Association is demanding a little over $2,000 as an entry-level salary for lecturers.

Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Allotey Jacobs believed there are some political actors benefiting from the UTAG strike and other labour union actions arising currently.

According to him, those political actors are stirring tensions to advance their political ambitions.

"Is an act of trying to create tension in the country so that we will use it as a platfrom to launch our campaign for the next election? . . . If you allow room for agitation, it will not do the current government very good or well," he said, adding, "some people, it's like launching the 2024 campaign in 2021 and the mainstream strategy is to create agitation in this country," he said.

He advised government not to allow the political schemers to succeed saying, "there is the need for government to engage labour . . . look, the labour front is anew or I will say that one of the largest constituencies in our political space. So, you don't leave them alone''.