Strikes

Ghana is a peaceful country. It’s full of happy-go-lucky people who are more likely than not genuine in wishing for the best of those around them.

Ghana is also a poor country. And that explains things like illiteracy and theft.  There are still glitches in policies and government bureaucracy. Citizens do not always ignore these. 

Since March 16^th, all professors and lecturers at the University have been on strike. This is not an unfamiliar situation. Last month, the staff workers went on strike because the University owed them a month’s pay. We could not get into our lecture room because the department office was closed and the keys, inside. Apparently, the University Teachers Association of Ghana is demanding fair pay from the government and all members refuse to teach until those needs are met: ­­­http://www.ug.ghanacampusnet.com/campus_news/utag-withdraws-services

Monday, we had our regular classes, but on Tuesday, our professor (the strictest and most serious of the department) came in to tell us that he could not give the lecture. He had given his regular lecture the day before and his colleagues were very upset.  These strikes are a completely collective action. Evidently, it has to be all or none.

Two years ago, students striked because of student fees. It ended up lasting so long that final exams needed to be extended into winter break.

Though this particular action still seems “foreign” to me, thinking about it always brings me back to the question: if it works and it is peaceful, why not? It has also taught me to stay on my feet and not get too upset when things change. Three weeks ago I was informed that the first year Masters students were to present their thesis proposals the following week. I was not too happy to hear that I had only 7 days to synthesize my literature review, objectives, and proposed methodology. Thursday came along and sure enough, all of Legon was without power for that entire day. No projector means no powerpoint. No powerpoint meant no presentations. So, they were postponed to this week. Now, we have no one to grade or listen to our presentations, so they have been cancelled once again.

To me, strikes seem so… hmm… Ghanaian. It is their method of being heard. A passive method of being heard. But again, I guess it works.

It just seems ironic that a strike simultaneously detracts from the students’ services.