Ghanaian academics deserve better, not “insults” – Scholar

A Ghanaian scholar says it is unfair to “belittle” the country’s academics just because they want their book and research allowances maintained.

Dr Lloyd Amoah, who is an Associate Professor at Ashesi University, says calling Ghanaian scholars “lazy and undeserving of the resources hitherto given,” is an “insult.”

The education ministry intends scrapping the book and research allowance and replace with a national research fund for all academics.

Every lecturer is paid between $400 and $600 a year as book and research allowance. The government spends $7 million yearly on book and research allowance. Currently, University and Polytechnic Lecturers are on strike over the book and research allowance impasse between them and the government.

Some critics say the lecturers do little or no research and thus do not merit the allowance.

“In my view it boils down to ignorance of how the scholar functions and his or her needs,” Dr Amoah said, arguing: “Ghanaian scholars over the generations have put Ghana on the world map of thought working under very difficult conditions made worse today by a society that is frittering resources on politicians and their whims and comfort.”

“In spite of the conditions today the Ghanaian academic continues to make his or her mark writing in major journals, writing books and engaging in research,” the Afro-china expert said in a Facebook comment.

He believes rather than insulting Ghanaian scholars, their efforts and contributions to thinking should be appreciated. “In many ways the academic becomes the ambassador of his or her country as they attend conferences and collaborate with fellow scholars in other countries on projects; projects that have direct impact on the national economy usually run down by politicians and their corrupt ways. And these efforts are usually solo efforts.”

“Faced with the challenges that stalk us it is this THINKING CLASS that will provide us with answers if we only realise and utilise their brains. Across the world that is how it has been done: serious countries have supported their THINKERS and challenged them to provide answers to the most pressing questions of the day,” he said.

“Our academics are the last frontier of Ghana's sanity and hope for tomorrow. They build the cerebral power of the next generation and contribute ideas on how to respond to the existential crises of our times and tomorrow. We seemed to have developed a foul habit of insulting and belittling them to our peril. The least we can do is to let them be, even as we strangulate them of the limited resources and ideal conditions, to simply THINK,” he stressed.

“I write this as a Ghanaian scholar who knows and lives DAILY the HUSTLE of being part of this fraternity in Africa. Some of us could leave if we wanted to. Go abroad and do our thing. But we are patriots who want to give back directly to a nation that has nurtured us. We are patriots who understand the vital link between our presence and our beloved Republic's future,” he added.