Shock over cost of NUGS nomination forms - President at GHS15m, other portfolios GHS10m

The general public believes that students politics in Ghana is the breeding ground for our country’s corrupt leaders was given more traction over the week when the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) announced the cost of nomination forms for its 2018/2019 elections as Ghs1,500 for President and Ghs1,000 for all other portfolios.

The students Union which is no longer taken seriously by the country has become a money institution and a hub of corruption for young student leaders who want to transition into national politics later.

MyNewsGH.com’s Nana Kwasi Adom reports that NUGS currently has two (2) Presidents- instead of one- each representing NPP and NDC.

MyNewsGh.com has been reliably informed that the level of corruption in NUGS and other student bodies like SRCs, GRASAG, USAG etc is more than Ghanaians see at the government level as these student leaders escape rigorous auditing or they appoint their cronies to audit them.

NUGS, which claims to be a “democratic, non-partisan and progressive mass movement comprising of students in Ghana and Ghanaian Students abroad” is anything but.

Their primary aim of protecting and safeguarding the rights and interest of Ghanaian students has long been forgotten as the students jump from one political office to the other begging politicians for food and favours, all the time while their studies suffer.

These reports were gleaned from Facebook comments of former student leaders and current ones who are appalled by the lack of seriousness of NUGS.

In 2016, both NPP and NDC charged exorbitant fees for their nomination forms which caused outrage from the public.

At an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting the EC also revised its notes, that presidential candidates of the various political parties would be required to pay GH¢50,000, instead of the previous 10,000.

The filing fee for parliamentary candidates was also pegged at GH¢10,000, from 1,000 in 2012.

Nomination fee for parliamentary candidates during the 2012 election was Gh¢1,000, hence the new charges represent an increase of 1,000 percent. Presidential candidates paid 10,000 the same year.