UTGSU meets staff, higher education officials over strike

By Aminata Ceesay & Fatoumata Dukureh Members of the University of The Gambia Students’ Union have yesterday held talks with the staff association and officials of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology over the ongoing sit-down. The university’s staff are on strike since 1 March after they accused the senior management team of corruption and embezzlement, demanding them to resign or they will not lecture. However, one week into the strike, the students who are at the receiving end of the strike, held discussion with the staff after which they took their demands to the higher education ministry for quick resolution of the standoff. Speaking during the meeting with the staff, the Secretary General of the UTGSU, Modou Lamin Ceesay, told them that their demands will be put to the relevant authorities. “Once this is done, the other complaints that are contained in the UTGFSA resolution will be looked into and the lecturers will be patient enough to give time for all those problems to be resolved; ranging from lack of library, internet connectivity, facilities and all other problems that UTG is currently grappling with,” he said. Also speaking, the IPRO of the staff association, Nyimasata Camara, said: “We have come up with points that we know is going to work for us as staff and students of the university. We hope that this thing will be resolved as soon as possible, because it is not in our interest as lecturers and students for this to be prolonged, but we are thankful that we have this discussion.” The student body relayed the gathered information to the higher education officials who promised to meet the staff and solve the problem forthwith.]]>