.....OVER HIS CLAIMS THAT STUDENT LEADERS HAVE ENDORSED THE PAYMENT OF UTILITY BILLS BY STUDENTS IN PUBLIC TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

SHOW US THE COMMUNIQUÉ OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE

The leadership of NUGS have received with utter dismay comments attributed to the Deputy Education Minister (Tertiary Division), Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa, to the effect that stakeholders in education, including student leaders, have agreed to a cost sharing arrangement between government, on one hand, and students on the other in respect of the payment of utility bills at the nation's tertiary institutions.

Hon Ablakwa initially made this revelation at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology on April 15 whilst addressing students during the second edition of the Ministry's Campus Connect series. He has since been repeating same on several media platforms. This development has justifiably created a lot of fear and panic among students across the country; many of whom have vowed to take on the NUGS executive for such a gaffe. We therefore deem it expedient to come clean on the matter and put out the true facts.

In setting the records straight, we wish to begin by stating unequivocally that the claims by Okudzeto Ablakwa are factually incorrect, spurious, and as such should be disregarded by all. We are by this release, DARING Hon. Ablakwa to make public the said communiqué he claims forms the basis for government's decision to partially withdraw utility subsidies to be borne by students, which was reached at the end of a stakeholder meeting. If Hon. Ablakwa fails to produce that communiqué, which he claims received the endorsement of NUGS (or its rep), then he should not only desist from making such claims, but should also retract and render an unqualified apology to the leadership of NUGS for this unwarranted disservice. If he fails to do either, we shall advise ourselves.

If government intends to withdraw utility subsidies to public institutions, then it should gather the necessary courage to make that point loud and clear rather than this cowardly approach of trying to ‘implicate’ student leaders in this enterprise as a cover-up for government's unpopular move. It is very much obvious that government is afraid of the consequences and political ramifications of such move hence the decision to play a smart one at all of us.

For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to once again state emphatically that NUGS has NOT consented to any communiqué that involves levying the cost of utility bills on students. In fact, we are yet to see the final resolution or communiqué of the stakeholder meeting held on 25th March at the UPSA Auditorium. We therefore find it disingenuous that Ablakwa continuously makes reference to this communiqué that nobody but himself has seen. Why hasn't it been issued to the media as agreed upon? Obviously, a communiqué cannot be a secret document and we demand to see it NOW and NOW. We have had enough of this political gymnastics and merry-go-round.

We wish to conclude by reiterating our long-standing impregnable position in respect of this matter, that NUGS shall vehemently RESIST any attempt by government to surcharge students for utility bills. That will not and cannot happen else the students of this country will shake the very foundation of our government with an unwavering ALUTA.

Thank you.

Signed

Iddi Muhayu-deen NUGS General Secretary (0245335197/0202789171)

Rhodalyn Eshun Press and Info Secretary