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Students of the Navrongo campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) have hit the streets on a massive demonstration for electrical power to be reconnected to the institution.
The Northern Electricity Company (NEDCO) on Tuesday cut power supply to the Navrongo campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) over GH¢3.4 million debt owed the company.
A similar action was taken against the Bolgatanga Polytechnic which was also disconnected on Wednesday over a debt of GH¢1.2 million.
Speaking in an interview on Bolgatanga based Yem Radio monitored by MyNewsGh.com, President of the Students Representative Council (SRC) Otivi Raymond said the action of the electricity distributor has resulted in the halting of virtually all academic activities on the campus.
The situation he added has infuriated students who are uncontrollably gearing up to demonstrate against the disconnection and to put pressure on management of the school and government to take steps to restore power to the school.
“I have tried my best to speak to them to exercise patience but because they already had issues with the school management on fees and other things, this has come to spark their anger. The disconnection at this time is a wrong time and an ungodly time” he remarked.
Earlier, the SRC in a statement said “We are reliably informed that this decision by the management of NEDCO is as a result of a directive they have received from above and there is nothing they can do unless management pay the arrears.
The leadership of the SRC, UDS Navrongo campus, find it strange that management has not been able to pay a pesewa of the electricity bill since 2012.
We are by this communique giving both the government of Ghana and the management of UDS a three day ultimatum to resolve this issue for light to be restored on campus”.
MyNewsGh.com sources at NEDCO has however indicated that a meeting with management of both parties has taken place and power would likely be restored later today pending a Council meeting of the University which will be held on the 9th of October for a final determination on the matter of the outstanding electricity debt.
