GSSM students ‘optimistic’ of Akufo-Addo’s intervention

The Ghana Union of Professional Students (GUPS) and students of the Ghana School of Survey and Mapping (GSSM) have expressed confidence in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reverse the decision by Lands and Natural Resources Minister John Peter Amewu to have the School of Surveying and Mapping closed down indefinitely.

Mr Amewu’s order followed a demonstration by students against a suspected sale of the school’s lands by the Lands Commission. But several efforts by the students to have the school reopened have proved unsuccessful.

Although Mr Amewu hinted the school would be re-opened after investigations into circumstances that led to the destruction of properties belonging to the Lands Commission and a contractor working on the school’s land are completed, GUPS and the GSSM students have said they have lost confidence in the Minister.

GUPS President Bismark Gyamfi, speaking to Class News, said the union would petition the president and was optimistic Mr Akufo-Addo would heed its call and reverse the decision since most of the students have been left frustrated.

“The actions coming from the office of the Minister of Land and Natural Resources is clearly stating that he is not ready to call back the students to the classrooms, so of course this has become a very depressing issue,” he said.

“Students are very frustrated, they are very confused, they don’t know what the future holds for them, especially the foreign students from Nigeria and Togo. They are all loitering around and don’t know where to go and it’s like no one is talking about it. So we as the union, under which the school falls, we cannot keep quiet on this and we are very hopeful that the president, who is noted to be a man of rule of law, is quickly going to do something about this whole issue. We are very optimistic that the president will do something about it.”