Hands-off NUGS, TUC

…. John mahama warned

The National Youth Wing of New Patriotic Party has noted with great disappointment the continuous interference of the John Mahama led NDC government in the affairs of the independent student and labour groups such as; NUGS, NAGRAT, GNAT, TUC, GNUPS etc. We are of the opinion that, such a desperate measure on the part of government to dictate to these groups does not augur well for our democracy.

At a time when government has reneged on its constitutional obligations to GETFUND, John Mahama continues to dabble in trivialities and acts that would break the united front of these groups to render them incapacitated and keep them from voicing out their numerous concerns.

Six weeks after schools reopened for the commencement of the 2013/2014 academic year, government has failed to provide the basic materials (chalk, text books ) needed for effective teaching and learning to begin. School Heads have gone to ‘ridiculous’ lengths in addressing the situation in their various schools including borrowing these materials on credit and sometimes using their limited personal resources.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa blamed the teachers for reopening schools when they know there are no teaching and learning materials. GNAT and NAGRAT continue to drum home the need for government to address issues surrounding their salaries and wage arrears. Aside the numerous failed promises John Mahama and the NDC made to the Ghanaian people, monies meant for projects under GETFUND, a constitutional obligation, are not being paid. The Board of Directors continue to sit and take huge allowances while the various projects and scholarship schemes under the GETFUND setup are all in limbo. Student beneficiaries of GETFUND scholarships are treated with utmost disdain and are left stranded in very unfortunate circumstances.

The government has further announced the withdrawal of allowances meant for students in the Nursing and Colleges of Education signaling an end to any attempt to motivate both teachers and students.

These, among many other reasons account for the limited educational opportunities and fallen educational standards in the Country.

The NDC thrives on ignorance and will therefore detest any genuine attempt to educate the people. Aside their abhorrence for Free SHS and Teacher First Policies introduced by Nana Addo, this is evident in the ‘killer policies” they have introduced to ostensibly cripple the educational sector.

It is therefore of little surprise that some organizations have started calling for the total scrap of the Ministry of Education.

The hypocrisy of the John Mahama NDC led government was once again more evident when he stated that the refusal of the University of Development Studies to award former President JJ Rawlings under the NPP government was a great disservice to the nation. On Friday 11th October 2013, a night before he made this statement, John Mahama through a joint operation of the National Security and the Police had disbanded an award ceremony in honour of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo by the National Union of Ghana Students. The leadership of NUGS, realizing the exemplary leadership and the enormous contribution Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo has made to the development of democracy in Ghana and Africa as a whole has decided to confer on him the ‘Statesman of the Decade” award. Reeling under the ever soaring popularity of Nana Addo, and causing them great discomfort, they descended heavily on the innocent students and their leadership resulting in some of them sustaining severe injuries and needing medical attention. What a Nana Phobia is this?

The National Youth Wing of NPP will like to remind the NDC government to concentrate on solving the numerous hardships they have brought on Ghanaians and to hands-off NUGS and other pressure groups. The conduct and posture of John Mahama has become a threat to the Youth of Ghana. It comes with no surprise that leading members of the Youth for Mahama, his campaign group during the 2012 elections have labeled John Mahama and his cohorts as vampires sucking the blood and resources of this Country thereby disowning him and writing him off as having nothing to offer the Youth of Ghana. We will continue to throw our support behind the TUC and other groups and encourage them not to relent in their efforts to serve the good people of Ghana.

Signed:

Emmanuel Attafuah-Danso

National Youth Organizer, NPP

Mobile: 0208231667