Shun politicians who preach violence---NUGS, Saturday, January 14, 2012, pg 12
THE National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) is urging all students and youth who are members of the various political parties to shun politicians who preach violence as the country girds its loins for the 2012 elections.
“We are calling on all students and the youth who are members of the various political parties to always know that their first love is to this nation and not for someone who understands the language of violence.
Speaking at a press conference that touched on many issues of national concern, the NUGS President, Mr Ayari Osman Abdulai, said the student body’s message to officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress and party functionaries of the opposition parties was simple. “The students of Ghana will not permit you to make such unguarded statements this year.”
While appealing to the Electoral Commission to adequately consult and engage all political groupings in the country for a peaceful election, Mr Abdulai also urged the media to provide equal platform to political parties in order to deepen the country’s democratic process.
The government recently announced the removal of subsidy on fuel price resulting in the 20 per cent hike in prices. This incurred the displeasure of many civil society organisations including the Trade Union Congress and NUGS and it has added its voice on the call on the government to reduce the price because the increase will add some hardship to all Ghanaians including students.
“The Union believes that the main responsibility of every government is to make the public goods available to its people and not saddle them with hardships.”
“The government should be in the position to reduce fuel prices or we, the students of this country, would advise ourselves. We are aware of drivers who are hiding behind the fuel increase to extort huge fares and also some sellers who are increasing consumable items astronomically.”
Mr Abdulai, therefore, urged the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to bring its members to order to ensure that sanity prevailed in the transport sector.
According to figure from the Ministry of Education, the government had eliminated over 1,200 schools under trees. That, the NUGS President stated, was commendable. While commending the government for that feat, it also called on the government to enact a legislation that “will put a perpetual end to schools springing under trees.”
The NUGS President, who was flanked by other executive members of the students body, said “We also want the government to administer the free uniforms and the free exercise book policies to those who needed them most especially the vulnerable and the poor in the society.”
On the passage of an act recently by Parliament to give legal backings to the establishment of the two universities in the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions, he lauded the government’s effort and stated that “we are confident that the two new universities, when operational, will help in reducing the pressure that is always mounted on the public universities during admissions.”
Mr Abdulai, however, stated that “ in as much as NUGS lauds government and Parliament, the Union wants to remind our national leadership that the state of public universities gives us a lot of cause to worry.”
“The University of Development Studies is faced with huge infrastructural and structural difficulties. The school lacks lecture halls as well as accommodation for lecturers and students. The absence of adequate lecture halls and accommodation facilities for both lecturers and students alike hampers a smooth academic environment.”
The recent cocaine turned sodium bicarbonate also drew concern from the national students body. It therefore called on the government to put its feet down and get to the bottom of the issue and punish the culprits according to law.
“It is a fact that this is not the first time cocaine is alleged to have turned into some other item. We are concerned because the international image of our country is being destroyed and we the students are affected when we go for exchange programmes overseas,” he stated.
Mr Abdulai also urged the government to make good on its promise in the 2008 NDC manifesto to provide office accommodation for NUGs.
“We are calling on all students and the youth who are members of the various political parties to always know that their first love is to this nation and not for someone who understands the language of violence.
Speaking at a press conference that touched on many issues of national concern, the NUGS President, Mr Ayari Osman Abdulai, said the student body’s message to officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress and party functionaries of the opposition parties was simple. “The students of Ghana will not permit you to make such unguarded statements this year.”
While appealing to the Electoral Commission to adequately consult and engage all political groupings in the country for a peaceful election, Mr Abdulai also urged the media to provide equal platform to political parties in order to deepen the country’s democratic process.
The government recently announced the removal of subsidy on fuel price resulting in the 20 per cent hike in prices. This incurred the displeasure of many civil society organisations including the Trade Union Congress and NUGS and it has added its voice on the call on the government to reduce the price because the increase will add some hardship to all Ghanaians including students.
“The Union believes that the main responsibility of every government is to make the public goods available to its people and not saddle them with hardships.”
“The government should be in the position to reduce fuel prices or we, the students of this country, would advise ourselves. We are aware of drivers who are hiding behind the fuel increase to extort huge fares and also some sellers who are increasing consumable items astronomically.”
Mr Abdulai, therefore, urged the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to bring its members to order to ensure that sanity prevailed in the transport sector.
According to figure from the Ministry of Education, the government had eliminated over 1,200 schools under trees. That, the NUGS President stated, was commendable. While commending the government for that feat, it also called on the government to enact a legislation that “will put a perpetual end to schools springing under trees.”
The NUGS President, who was flanked by other executive members of the students body, said “We also want the government to administer the free uniforms and the free exercise book policies to those who needed them most especially the vulnerable and the poor in the society.”
On the passage of an act recently by Parliament to give legal backings to the establishment of the two universities in the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions, he lauded the government’s effort and stated that “we are confident that the two new universities, when operational, will help in reducing the pressure that is always mounted on the public universities during admissions.”
Mr Abdulai, however, stated that “ in as much as NUGS lauds government and Parliament, the Union wants to remind our national leadership that the state of public universities gives us a lot of cause to worry.”
“The University of Development Studies is faced with huge infrastructural and structural difficulties. The school lacks lecture halls as well as accommodation for lecturers and students. The absence of adequate lecture halls and accommodation facilities for both lecturers and students alike hampers a smooth academic environment.”
The recent cocaine turned sodium bicarbonate also drew concern from the national students body. It therefore called on the government to put its feet down and get to the bottom of the issue and punish the culprits according to law.
“It is a fact that this is not the first time cocaine is alleged to have turned into some other item. We are concerned because the international image of our country is being destroyed and we the students are affected when we go for exchange programmes overseas,” he stated.
Mr Abdulai also urged the government to make good on its promise in the 2008 NDC manifesto to provide office accommodation for NUGs.
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