Students of GIJ elect a new set of SRC executives

Students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism on Monday, 5th April 2021 elected new sets of SRC executives to run the affairs of the student union for the second half of the 2021/2022 academic year.

The delay in the election of new executives was a result of the global pandemic that stalled the process in 2020.

The new student council will be led by Ishmael Nii Lantey Lamptey, who is a former General Assembly member (2017-2019), clerk to General Assembly, and President of RAF Africa (a reformative on-campus organization).

Ishmael Lamptey will be assisted by Redeemer Kumake, another experienced legislator in her final year.

Farida Yeboah was elected as the Women’s Commissioner, known for her fierce advocacy both on general issues and on gender-related matters.

Other portfolios include the Organizing Secretary led by Bilson Desmond Boahene; External Affairs Commissioner, Godfred Zina; and Patrick Anyebonu as the General Secretary elect.

Larry Abdus Samad was elected as the Financial Secretary of the students union.

The election saw an unprecedented voter turnout of 1491 students, steadily reflecting past elections voter turnouts although some claim low voter education will result in a low turnout.

Background

Ghana’s record of coronavirus in March and its associated restrictions delayed the election of student representatives in 2020.

Faced with a constitutional crisis, the students, led by representatives from the general assembly were to draw up a plan to hold elections but the former President, Joseph Agbezuke who was keen on covering his corrupt deeds at the time frustrated the speaker, who later resigned.

A bizarre committee was quickly put in place and an appointment was done illegally to select some students who were later disbanded by the management of the institute.

Students later elected a 15 member committee to conduct elections to restore legal student leadership led by Victor Yepkle, a level 400 student leader, and Felix Etornam Tsawodzi (a level 300 student leader) as a result of the illegal operations of the disbanded interim committee.

The elections began on Sunday, 4th April 2021, and ended on Monday, 5th April 2021.

The newly elected executives are expected to work on a series of programs and projects in the interest of students, as opposed to the then interim committee (now disbanded) who illegally withdrew 50,000 from students accounts, and diverted 30,000 into personal accounts of Alimatu Bartels (the then leader of the group).