Ms Ohene pleads with students to be modest in their demands

Wa, Dec 17, GNA - Ms Elizabeth Ohene, the Minister of State In-Charge of Tertiary Education, on Wednesday pleaded with tertiary students to be modest in their demand for the upward adjustments in their SSNIT students' loan.

This, she said, was in view of the possible effect their demand is likely to have on workers' pension fund if their demand is to be met. Addressing some staff and students of the Faculty of Integrated Studies of the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies, Ms Ohene said the students' leadership met her last week and requested that their loan of two million cedis be raised to five million cedis. Ms Ohene said the SSNIT students' loan forms about 24.7 per cent of SSNIT net assets. ''If the loan should be raised to five million cedis that would make the SSNIT students' loan to form about 35.8 per cent of SSNIT's net assets.''

She said plans are underway to establish students' loans trust to provide loans to students.

Mr Sahanun Mogtari, the Upper West Regional Minister, told the students to impress upon beneficiaries of the SSNIT students loans to pay back their loans.