Wayo calls for "ALUTA"

The ruling New Patriotic Party?s maverick Kofi Wayo, last Wednesday urged University Students to demonstrate against government's intention to lodge monies accrued for the Ghana Education Trust Funds (Get-Funds) into the Consolidated Funds account.

He said "it is unlawful, criminal and fraudulent practice which must be resisted, for the NPP had created the platform for demonstration which is the Constitutional rights of all and you must ultilise that right to send strong signal to policy makers of disgust for illegal and bad policies."

Mr Wayo who styles himself a Socio - Political Commentator was contributing to the Second "Legon Speaks" a platform for University of Ghana students to interact with leaders and also contribute on general national issues to make an input. The ocassion was under the general topic, "Funding Tertiary Education the role of the GetFunds in Full Cost Recovery," was organized by Akuafo Hall.

Mr Wayo who was hailed by the students for his call, prescribed a strategy when he urged them to find out the day parliament would debate the proposed Bill and organize a massive demonstration that would take them to parliament house where they would sit on the grass and "sing we no go sit down make them cheat us every day" for hours -on-end," stressing that it should not be an hour long demonstration but one that would last a long time.

He advised the students not to allow the Police and other bodies to provoke them during the demonstration into violence even as they ensure that their rights are protected because "I will fight against any one who would attempt to frustrate, arrest or stop you," which was greeted with luad cheers and support.

Attempts by Honorable Kosi Kedeem, Opposition National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Hohoe South who was a discussant and the Hall Master Mr Asiedu Yerinky who chaired to persuade the students to resort to dialogue and also study the GetFunds Act was greeted with boos and no, no, no from the charge student.

Mr Kedem appealed to the students to first understands the issues at stake, use all channels for redress before if need be they consider demonstration, stressing "it is premature now to consider demonstration." Mr Wayo again debunk the attempt to persuade them saying, "Kosi is an NDC and does not understand the use of demonstration hence his stand against it, but NPP understands demonstration as powerful weapon which must be ultilised in a democratic state.

The Hall Master who was disturbed about the turn of events reminded the students of the original purpose of the Legon Speak which was for academic inputs for national development. The GetFunds Act 2000 stipulates that the Value Added Tax Service shall within 30 days of receipt of Value Added Tax Revenue pay directly into the bank accounts opened for the funds.

The Ministry of Finance this year had directed that about 500 billion cedis accrued for the funds be paid into the GetFunds and requested the Parliament to allow the ministry to disbursed the money in five t ranches over a period of five years. This had been considered as violation of the law establishing the funds.

Others speakers includes the leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party. Unfortunately the outgoing Minister of Education Professor Christopher Ameyaw Ekumfi and the GetFunds Administrator who were invited failed to turn up.

During the open forum most of the students who spoke supported the call for demonstration and even demanded accountability from their Student Representatives Council, while others made wild allegations against the Executives