NUGS President Condems NDC’s Involment In Student Politics

The newly elected president of the National Union of Ghana Students, (NUGS), Peter Kodjie, has seriously condemned the involvement of some high level officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress in the affairs of the union,

Speaking to the New Crusading Guide in an exclusive interview, Mr Kodjie said since the NDC assumed office, some personalities within the party have attempted on several occasions to influence members of the union with money in a bid to buy their conscience. He noted that the move by the NDC officials has seriously divided the party and brought agony among members. If we don’t take care we will be collapsing the union which is already divided between non partisan students forming one group and another NDC backed group led by Hamza Suhini brother of one Alhasan Suhini, a radio presenter at Radio Gold.

Peter Kodjie accused Hamza Suhini, who also calls himself president of NUGS ,of being a mole of the NDC who lost the NUGS elections in WA in 2010 in spite of all the money given him by his fund masters, the NDC to bribe voters. “He finally bought his way into the union as president after their illegal congress at the GNAT Hall, where their 30 selected congregants revoked the election of Anthony Afriyie Abosti, the immediate past president of the union. He noted that the existence of TEIN, an NDC adherent group on the various campuses of the tertiary institutions is what is causing the damage to the national students union.

In addition to the above, the quest for financial support by aspirants to finance their internal campaign budget for SRC elections have made them vulnerable to the parochial intentions of some politicians who take advantage of the situation to carry out their political interests. Hence, they become stooges to their paymasters, neglecting their key responsibilities in the union. Again, it was noted that management of some institutions involve themselves indirectly in students’ internal electoral affairs. This is done through financing their preferred candidates and employing any possible means to get these preferred candidates elected to run the affairs of students as well as to protect the unfavorable policies of management.

He regards the interference by government as a serious intimidation, which is usually meted out to student leaders who are seen not to support all the policies of ruling governments, which might not be in the supreme interest of Ghanaian Students. He noted that such interferences normally leads to Loss of organizational image, integrity, reputation institutional infighting a and weak student leadership. He therefore urged the newly elected student leaders to discredit and ignore any person, government, and political party among others whatsoever who attempt to influence them in the pursuit of their constitutional duties.

Meanwhile, a source within the other NUGS group led by Hamza Suhini has hinted this paper that they are preparing for their National Congress next week, which will probably be in the Volta Region. The source noted that they would be electing their national executives at the upcoming congress to pursue their mandates.” Our group is made up of all the public tertiary institutions, which makes us a solid group to lead student groups in the country for the new academic year”. He therefore called on the public to disregard the bluff of the Abosti backed group.