Students Union accused of pursuing hidden agenda

The Concerned Polytechnic Students on Friday accused the leadership of the Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students (GNUPS) of pursuing its own hidden agenda and playing politics with the academic life of students.

They said the position taken by the leadership not to return to the classroom was uncompromising and raised issues on the hidden agenda of Mr Rashid Yakubu, the President and his group. "We have resolved to fight against such parochial and selfish interest in the leadership of the GNUPS."

Speaking at a press briefing, Mr Martin Adu-Poku, Spokesperson for the group, said at present about 95per cent of the students were prepared to go back to campus for proper negotiating with the government to continue. "They don't even have facts and the requisite proposals to go and face the government for negotiation, their approach is wrong and we are against that," he said.

Mr Adu-Poku said current expressions made on radio stations by Mr Yakubu on the Polytechnics problems were never the general consensus of the entire students population.

He alleged that Mr Yakubu was a professional teacher on study leave at the Cape Coast Polytechnic so could afford to stay at home for 10 years without any difficulty but they could not. "We would not want to be toyed with or used to pursue the political interests of few individuals in the students' front.

He noted that GNUPS did not exhaust all avenues for negotiation before they embarked on the strike action adding that the appeals by religious bodies and parliamentarians and other stakeholders to go back to the classroom for negotiation constituted the best alternative for solution.

Mr Adu-Poku said the GNUPS had over-stretched the matter and, therefore, had presently lost the majority support it had from the beginning. He, however, called on the Educational authorities to re-open the polytechnics since the majority of the students was willing to return to the classrooms.

In another development, GNUPS have criticised the "Concerned Polytechnic Students" who have launched a campaign for the striking students to return to lectures and said members of the public, especially the media, should be cautious in dealing with them.

A statement signed by Mr Dennis Nartey, Press and Information Officer, said GNUPS was advising the Polytechnic authorities not to reopen the schools to avoid clashes. "Any attempt to derail the democratic process of the Union by the so called concerned students will not be welcomed," the statement said.

GNUPS advised its members to exercise restraint while it continued to negotiate with the Education Ministry and stakeholders to fashion out an appropriate system to enhance polytechnic education.