Technical Universities Calls For The Immediate Withdrawal of The Amendment Bill 2017 of the Technical Universities Act 2016 (Act 922)
The Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG), Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAAG), Technical University Administrators Association of Ghana (TUAAG) and the Technical University Workers Association of Ghana (TUWAG) all of the Takoradi Technical University Chapter has issued a strong caution to Ghana’s legislature to desist from any attempts to amend the Technical Universities Act 2016 (Act 922) which is currently before the flood of Parliament for consideration.
In a press conference held in Takoradi on Monday, February 12, the angry member from TUTAG, TUSAAG, TUAAG and TUWAG told news men that the move by the minister of Education to amend Act 922 smacks of bad faith and shows of power court the minister they believe have been duly furnished with legal processes pending before court challenging the authority of the Executive Secretary of National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) in issuing directives to the governing councils of the Technical Universities to approve statues compiled by the Nation Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE).
The Technical Universities Act, 2016 (Act 922) came to force in 2016 with the conversation of six Polytechnics in the country into Technical Universities but on 26 January 2018, the Minister of Education laid the Technical Universities (Amendment) Bill 2017 before Parliament for consideration.
According to a leading member of the joint Technical Universities Association, Peter Awini Seidu, the association after perusing through the Amendment Bill 2017, have come to the conclusion that the bill has the tendency to distort the stable and enduring governance processes, structure, culture and administration of public universities in the country.
He cautioned that care must be taking not to directly or indirectly create an erroneous impression in the minds of the public that Technical universities are only “technically, universities’.
“Expect for the intention to increase the list of Technical Universities in Ghana, the proposed amendments are unwarranted, coming as they do, barely one and half years since Act 922 came into force,” he added.
He however noted that, Technical Universities in Ghana needs more funding to deliver on their mandate but not a takeover by the National Council for Tertiary Education.
Meanwhile, the joint association members of TUTAG, TUSAAG and TUAAG matched through the streets of Sekondi to present a copy of their press statement to the Deputy Western Regional Minister, Gifty Eugene Kusi and pray His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Addo and the august parliament of the Republic of Ghana to cause the withdrawal of the Amendment Bill forthwith.
Kojo Ennimil Arthur|Beachfmonline.com|Ghana
