NUGS divided over ROPAB

Accra, Feb. 6, GNA - The three Bloc Heads of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), on Monday condemned comments by Mr Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, NUGS President on the Representation of the People's Amendment Bill (ROPAB) as arbitrary.

The Blocs, including the Ghana Union of Professional Students (GUPS), University Students Association of Ghana (USAG) and the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) have subsequently dissociated themselves from the statements of Mr Ablakwa.

Mr Ransford M. K. Addo, GUPS President, acting as the Spokesperson for the Blocs at a press conference, told journalists that sometime last week, Mr Ablakwa went on air to condemn the ROPAB, without the consent of either the NUGS National Executive Committee (NEC) or its Central Committee (CC) members.

Mr Ablakwa was said to have condemned the ROPAB and had said that the provision of students' accommodation was more of a priority than the passage and implementation of the ROPAB.

"We the Bloc Heads of NUGS...wish to state our dissatisfaction at the comments made by the NUGS President," Mr Addo said. Mr Addo said: "We wish to inform the nation that any statement made by the NUGS President concerning the ROPAB is his personal opinion and not that of the Union because NUGS has not taken any definite position on this issue."

Mr Addo said it was unfortunate that the NUGS President, by his statement had already taken a stance on the ROPAB ahead of the deliberations of the Central Committee scheduled for two weeks from now. He said the Bloc Heads saw the behaviour of Mr Ablakwa as a recipe for confusion in the NUGS as the Union represented different shades of opinions.

"We further wish to state that we the Bloc Heads of NUGS are losing patience with the dictatorial manner in which Mr Okudjeto Ablakwa is running the Union. This is a clear case of disrespect to the Bloc Heads and disregard for the NEC and CC."

Mr Addo stated that this was not the first time the NUGS President had behaved in such an arbitrary manner with opinions of the Union on matters of national interest, adding that if that behaviour continued they would advise themselves.

He observed that the attempt by some politicians to infiltrate the ranks of the student movement in the country, characterized by the demonstration by some faceless students at the Parliament House during the recent reading of the ROPAB was unfortunate.

Mr Addo appealed to all students not to kowtow to the bidding and incitement by political groups to either accept or reject the Bill until NUGS came out with its official position. 06 Feb. 06