Accra, May 15, GNA - Mr. Ishmael Tweneboa-Kodua, President of National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), on Friday urged government to facilitate the payment of loans to students through the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) to enable them to have access to their loans. "Many students who rely solely on the meagre loans under the student loan scheme are languishing in absolute despondency following the failure of the appropriate authorities to disburse money to them," he said.

Mr Tweneboa-Kodua was addressing a news conference as part of activities marking the celebration of National Students' Day, which falls on May 15.

He said a nation with priorities should not deny students the needed support and keep pontificating about the need for education to be taken seriously. "In the light of the increasing incidents of cyber fraud, we expect that government would pay these loans to students in good time and make the necessary adjustments to enable them to secure a minimum level of comfort.

"That, in our view will secure students against falling prey to magnetic attractions of such crimes such as 'sakawa' (internet fraud) now a national headache."

Mr Tweneboa-Kodua said thesis allowances and other benefits due graduate students must be paid in full and in good time to lessen the burden on students and families. "Efforts must be made to facilitate the process for language students who are billed to pursue a year's study abroad to do so without pain. As we speak, employees of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) once again are threatening a demonstration over unpaid allowances," he said.

"The problem is not limited to just these people. Young nurses and teachers who complete their courses of study and are posted to state institutions to serve the nation have to work for several years before receiving their salaries."

Mr Tweneboa-Kodua said the conspiracy of the elite to rape the nation and further impoverish the people while paying lip service to addressing the myriad of problems confronting Ghanaians must cease. He urged the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service and the Controller and Accountant General's Department to resolve all outstanding salary issues urgently in order not to frustrate young people as they contributed to the development of the country. Mr Tweneboa-Kodua advised male teachers to stop the culture of sexually harassing female students and called on school authorities to put measures in place to guarantee the full rights and freedoms of the female student.

He said NUGS would resist any attempt by the authorities of any institution or university to increase Academic Facility User Fees arbitrarily adding that school authorities must adopt cost saving measures and improve their revenue mobilization mechanisms. Mr. Tweneboa-Kodua called on the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) to put in place measures that would prevent the leakage of examination questions.

He said the union would be left with no option than to embark on a nationwide demonstration to draw attention to the predicament of students and the youth. NUGS launched its Women's Commissioner's cloth, Alumni body and the Students Excellence Awards to commemorate the day. v