NUGS commends government

Accra, March 16, GNA - The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Tuesday commended the Government for its decision to restructure the Students' Loan Scheme and replace it with the Student Loan Trust from the next academic year.

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr Kenneth Abotsi, NUGS President, said, "it is the hope of NUGS that the establishment of the Trust will not become a mirage but a reality".

It said the current scheme was beset with numerous problems and allowed students to access the same amount without taking into cognisance peculiar socio-economic and academic needs of students.

The NUGS cautioned the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to be more efficient by putting in measures to recover loans from defaulters.

"As it stands now the present scheme is dying due to low recovery rate. We would like to call on SSNIT to as a matter of urgency publish the names of all defaulters", the statement said.

The statement said: "We would also like to remind students that it is not only improper and unjust but also immoral to refuse to pay back the loans we access. We urge students to make an unflappable commitment towards paying back their loans when they leave school".