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| Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings |
Mrs Rawlings recently said student bodies in the country’s tertiary organisations have now become mouthpieces for government. Speaking at the 14th Prestigious Lecture series at the Ghana Telecom University College (GTUC), Mrs Rawlings said the umbrella body for student groups – NUGS – has now become emasculated due to its hijack by politicians.
“Historically, student bodies served as a litmus test in judging the effectiveness of government or otherwise. Student bodies were the conscience of the society.
“They led demonstrations, yes, but they led it for and against government policies, it was not consistent; some were for, some were against. And they always had a united front.
“Today, political parties have taken over student organisations and sadly, political party youth groups are more powerful than the SRC's and the mother organisation, the NUGS. NUGS no longer serves as a unified politically unadulterated front for students,” she said, wondering: “How then can such a huge resource of young people help to inform national debate when these organisations themselves have turned into mouthpieces for a sitting government?”
But in a statement, NUGS said: “We at NUGS do not recall the day or on which issue the Union became a mouthpiece for Government. Instead, with specific reference to this academic year's leadership, we have unreservedly stood firm and maintained our stance on the non-payment of Utility Bills by students. We have made a case on the need for Government to timely release the stipends meant for Ghanaian students studying abroad. Again, we have recently exerted the necessary pressure on Government to release Teacher Trainees' Feeding Grant. We are very optimistic that the UNION is surging on despite the challenges it faces. As students and, therefore, intellectuals, it is our resolve to ensure the unconditional emancipation of the students and youth of Ghana through the philosophy of dialogue.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3rd April, 2016.
NUGS DOES NOT SPEAK FOR GOVERNMENT.
It's a simple truism and a matter of fact that the students of Ghana and therefore the National Union of Ghana Students has not become and will never be the mouthpiece of the government or any opposition movement for that matter.
Our attention was drawn to a statement made by a former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings alluding that student Unions with specific references to NUGS, has become the mouthpiece for the sitting Government.
The serene political and maturing democracy our nation Ghana is enjoying today could not have come this far without the previous and the current deep contributions made by the National Union of Ghana Students.
The Union over the years since its formation, has contributed largely in shaping the conversation on National Development and we can without mincing words, say that the current leadership of NUGS is still doing same.
It is important to place on record that the challenges of the students of Ghana and therefore our nation some years ago vary from the current challenges, hence the need to relatively engage government and all other stakeholders in a more contemporary approach in pressing home our demands and shaping the developmental agenda of Ghana.
We at NUGS do not recall the day or on which issue the Union became a mouthpiece for Government.
Instead, with specific reference to this academic year's leadership, we have unreservedly stood firm and maintained our stance on the non-payment of Utility Bills by students.
We have made a case on the need for Government to timely release the stipends meant for Ghanaian students studying abroad.
Again, we have recently exerted the necessary pressure on Government to release Teacher Trainees' Feeding Grant.
We are very optimistic that the UNION is surging on despite the challenges it faces.
As students and therefore intellectuals, it is our resolve to ensure the unconditional emancipation of the students and youth of Ghana through the philosophy of dialogue.
We wish to use this medium to assure and urge all students of Ghana and Ghanaian students abroad that;
Let nothing stop us from the struggle.
Let us irrespective of our differences forge ahead.
Let us put our pieces together and rise above all forms of divisive characters, persons and group of individuals.
Let us remember, we have a union to run and a nation to build.
May God bless our homeland, Ghana and make us all responsible to all mandates assigned us.
SIGNED
PAA-QUECY ADU
NUGS PRESIDENT
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source||ghanaweb.com
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