The National Labor Commission (NLC) has initiated legal proceedings against the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education for their failure to disburse online teaching allowances to lecturers at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) in Somanya, Eastern Region.
This action comes after the Ministry of Education failed to comply with directives issued by the NLC regarding the payment of online teaching allowances and required actions concerning the above-mentioned university.
In an interview with the media, Hon. Ofosu Asamoah, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, confirmed the vigorous pursuit of the case against the Government through the Ministry of Education.
He explained that the action was necessary to enforce the ministry to make a definite decision in accordance to the previously given directive.
“And the question was, have you complied with our directive? And the simple answer was no. If no, then you have to because you’re out of time. But since there was no definite decision there, we have to seek an enforcement from the court against them.”
The executive secretary added that by sending the ministry to the court, the ministry could explain its reason for not complying with the NLC’s directive.
“We are taking them there to explain to the court…. so, they could go to court and challenge it, that we lack the power to give the directive we gave, the directive was wrong, and it was influenced, or any other defense they want to raise in court. If that is tenable to the court and it is upheld, fine.”
Despite being denied the benefits, lecturers from UESD have called off a strike on which they embark over the very same issue for humanitarian reasons.
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Story by: Geliel Naa-Norley Kutorkor Kotey | univers.ug.edu.gh
