By Olimatou Coker
Members of the University of The Gambia Staff and Faculty Association (UTGFSA) on Friday announced that they have ended their three-week sit-down strike.
UTGFSA Secretary General Yoro Njie said the association resolved to suspend the strike and resume work today.
The decision was reached after an extraordinary congress held on Friday with UTG governing council and management, the government and other stakeholders.
“Basically, the deal borders along the following: the withdrawal of a civil suit along with all other pending cases against the UTGFSA at the high court; inviting and providing UTGFSA observer status in the UTG Governing Council and Senate while simultaneously initiating efforts to amend the Tertiary and Higher Education Act to secure our full and legal membership in these two critical organs of governance; releasing all pending promotions for 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as any additional promotions that require assessors’ evaluation, on or before March 31, 2025; offering a resubmission window for anyone who missed the 2024 deadline to resubmit; establishing and maintaining constant dialogue and communication channels between the association, management, and governing council to prevent further communication gaps; and addressing all other outstanding academic and administrative matters,” he detailed.
He added that UTGFSA maintains confidence in the government, the governing council, and the Ministry of Higher Education’s commitment to honouring the agreements reached during discussions.
He warned that failure to uphold these agreements will compel the UTGFSA to reactivate the sit-down strike.
“As we move forward, I urge all UTGFSA members to respect the current university rules and regulations and prepare to resume work on Monday, 23rd December, 2024, with a strong sense of unity,” Mr Njie.
