Some teachers in the Accra metropolis are kicking against a compulsory ICT exam for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has sent sample questions on ICT to schools for candidates sitting this year’s exams in April but the teachers say it’s wrong to make ICT a compulsory paper this academic year.
In an interview with Joy News on Wednesday, the teachers said since most schools do not have the facilities and personnel to teach ICT, it should rather be optional.
“This is just a bomb-shell class yet the questions are technical. You just can’t use three months to do it,” one of the teachers complained.
Meanwhile the Ghana Education Service says it has not given approval for WAEC to begin the ICT exam this academic year.
Public Relations Officer Charles Parker-Allotey tells Joy News that although discussions are ongoing, it will be unfair to assess the students in ICT when ICT facilities have not been provided.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Schools can register BECE on-line
Schools in Ghana with internet connectivity can now register on-line for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) conducted by the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC).
This follows the introduction of an on-line registration procedure for the BECE last Monday after almost two decades of running the examination in the country.
The head of the Test Administration Department of WAEC, Mr Kweku Nyamekye-Aidoo, who made this known to Daily Graphic, said the on-line registration would be done alongside the old registration procedure (Batch Registration) which involved the registration of candidates in groups on Compact Discs.
He said the aim of the introduction of the on-line procedure was to ensure that core data of the candidates remained intact, thereby preventing the mixing up of candidate’s data. He said the Batch Registration was being done alongside the on-line registration to ensure that those who did not have the on line facility could do so, saying that the online registration was done by the schools of candidates and not individuals.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo indicated that all the information of candidates who would be writing the examination had to be on-line, and that the council would transfer the information of candidates who were registered through the Batch Registration, on-line.
He said there was no cause for alarm as the council undertook education programmes to educate school authorities on the new registration procedure.
He said information of candidates on-line would be for reading only, and that no one, no matter the access to the password of a school would be able to change any candidate’s information.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo said it was only at WAEC that a school that wanted to make a change to the bio-data of a candidate could do so.
He, therefore, advised parents and guardians to ensure that whatever information they provided on their children was accurate.
Mr. Nyamekye-Aidoo said “parents and guardians should state clearly how they want the names of their children spelt, in which order and provide their accurate date of birth”.
On the cost of registration per candidate, he said, the examination fee was GH¢6 as the government was paying GH¢14 per candidate as subsidy for each candidate, adding that schools must adhere strictly to the registration fee of GH¢6 and not add anything.
The Director of Basic Education Division of the GES, Mr Stephen Adu, urged heads of basic schools to spell out any additional fee for the registration of candidates and not lump all the fees as registration fees. He said there should be a breakdown of any fee, such as cost of photographs and extra tuition or extra mock examination should be made clear to parents. He added that such additional fees should be approved by a district education director.
Mr Adu said schools must make parents aware of the money (GH¢14) government was paying for each candidate since the original fee of the examination was GH¢20.
“Schools, be they public or private must give a clear break down of fees they are charging for the examination and not lump the registration fee of GH¢6 with other fees and term them as BECE examination fee,” he said.
This follows the introduction of an on-line registration procedure for the BECE last Monday after almost two decades of running the examination in the country.
The head of the Test Administration Department of WAEC, Mr Kweku Nyamekye-Aidoo, who made this known to Daily Graphic, said the on-line registration would be done alongside the old registration procedure (Batch Registration) which involved the registration of candidates in groups on Compact Discs.
He said the aim of the introduction of the on-line procedure was to ensure that core data of the candidates remained intact, thereby preventing the mixing up of candidate’s data. He said the Batch Registration was being done alongside the on-line registration to ensure that those who did not have the on line facility could do so, saying that the online registration was done by the schools of candidates and not individuals.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo indicated that all the information of candidates who would be writing the examination had to be on-line, and that the council would transfer the information of candidates who were registered through the Batch Registration, on-line.
He said there was no cause for alarm as the council undertook education programmes to educate school authorities on the new registration procedure.
He said information of candidates on-line would be for reading only, and that no one, no matter the access to the password of a school would be able to change any candidate’s information.
Mr Nyamekye-Aidoo said it was only at WAEC that a school that wanted to make a change to the bio-data of a candidate could do so.
He, therefore, advised parents and guardians to ensure that whatever information they provided on their children was accurate.
Mr. Nyamekye-Aidoo said “parents and guardians should state clearly how they want the names of their children spelt, in which order and provide their accurate date of birth”.
On the cost of registration per candidate, he said, the examination fee was GH¢6 as the government was paying GH¢14 per candidate as subsidy for each candidate, adding that schools must adhere strictly to the registration fee of GH¢6 and not add anything.
The Director of Basic Education Division of the GES, Mr Stephen Adu, urged heads of basic schools to spell out any additional fee for the registration of candidates and not lump all the fees as registration fees. He said there should be a breakdown of any fee, such as cost of photographs and extra tuition or extra mock examination should be made clear to parents. He added that such additional fees should be approved by a district education director.
Mr Adu said schools must make parents aware of the money (GH¢14) government was paying for each candidate since the original fee of the examination was GH¢20.
“Schools, be they public or private must give a clear break down of fees they are charging for the examination and not lump the registration fee of GH¢6 with other fees and term them as BECE examination fee,” he said.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
YPF-Ghana calls for Lasting Solution in Bawku
The Youth in Politics Foundation (Ghana), a non-governmental organization and a non-partisan group is seriously worried about insecurity and the lack of peace within the Bawku Municipality.
The situation at hand is alarming and it is also creating problems for the youth and elderly.
Insecurity in the municipality is holding back development and a sense of agency is needed to tackle the growing conflict to forestall lasting peace in the area.
Some have said Chieftaincy issues, Politics and some other deep seated tribal issues have contributed mainly to the escalating conflict in the area.
But, we believe as a youth group that, there must be first of all dialogue between the feuding parties. This we believe will bring on board chiefs, traditional rulers, tribal lords on a common platform to talk amicably about the consensus building.
We are humbly calling on the Government (Security Agencies), Political Parties, Muslim Leaders, Christian Leaders, Security Experts, and other CSOs/NGOs to put in their maximum efforts to forestall lasting peace in Bawku.
We welcome the decision by the Ministry of Interior to impose a curfew on the Municipality and its environs. But will this solve the problem?
We call on all parties involved in solving the escalating conflict to fast track the process of sustainable peace in the municipality before things really get out of hand. We are throwing a challenge to these various personalities in our country to let peace prevail in Bawku.
They are Bawkunaba, Asantehene, Ga Mantse, Togbe Afedzi, Okyehene, Okuapemanhene, Asante Manponhene, New Juabenhene and other stakeholders.
Signed
Mr. Fred Sarpong
(President)
About YPF- (Ghana)
The foundation was set up by a group of young media practitioners and a young civil engineer, who intend to help deepen Parliamentary Democracy in Ghana.
The objectives of the foundation are to:
Encourage the youth to engage in active Politics,
Educate the youth in the danger of violence in Politics,
Enlighten the youth in Parliamentary Democracy,
Equip the youth with the role of Parliamentarians in Parliamentary Democracy,
Facilitate the youth to engage in Parliamentary proceedings.
The situation at hand is alarming and it is also creating problems for the youth and elderly.
Insecurity in the municipality is holding back development and a sense of agency is needed to tackle the growing conflict to forestall lasting peace in the area.
Some have said Chieftaincy issues, Politics and some other deep seated tribal issues have contributed mainly to the escalating conflict in the area.
But, we believe as a youth group that, there must be first of all dialogue between the feuding parties. This we believe will bring on board chiefs, traditional rulers, tribal lords on a common platform to talk amicably about the consensus building.
We are humbly calling on the Government (Security Agencies), Political Parties, Muslim Leaders, Christian Leaders, Security Experts, and other CSOs/NGOs to put in their maximum efforts to forestall lasting peace in Bawku.
We welcome the decision by the Ministry of Interior to impose a curfew on the Municipality and its environs. But will this solve the problem?
We call on all parties involved in solving the escalating conflict to fast track the process of sustainable peace in the municipality before things really get out of hand. We are throwing a challenge to these various personalities in our country to let peace prevail in Bawku.
They are Bawkunaba, Asantehene, Ga Mantse, Togbe Afedzi, Okyehene, Okuapemanhene, Asante Manponhene, New Juabenhene and other stakeholders.
Signed
Mr. Fred Sarpong
(President)
About YPF- (Ghana)
The foundation was set up by a group of young media practitioners and a young civil engineer, who intend to help deepen Parliamentary Democracy in Ghana.
The objectives of the foundation are to:
Encourage the youth to engage in active Politics,
Educate the youth in the danger of violence in Politics,
Enlighten the youth in Parliamentary Democracy,
Equip the youth with the role of Parliamentarians in Parliamentary Democracy,
Facilitate the youth to engage in Parliamentary proceedings.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Cash for Youth in Agric Programme to rise to GH¢60m
Government is to increase budgetary allocation for the Youth In Agriculture programme by 500% raising the amount from GH¢10 million to GH¢60 million next year.
The move is to encourage medium and large scale food production among the youth, especially in areas of comparative advantage, to triple food production within the next three years.
It is also meant to cut down on the country's use of foreign exchange on food imports and make the cedi much stronger.
According to Vice President John Mahama, Ghana currently imports food to the tune of one billion dollars annually, a trend that the government was determined to reverse.
To this end "government is mapping out a strategy to encourage the production of soyabean, maize and other cereals that form the core of staples enjoyed by the citizenry.”
He said the government was also designing an initiative on poultry production, which it planned to roll out soon, to ensure a reduction in the amount of poultry products the country imported.
"Our policy is to encourage import substitution by increasing the production of crops and livestock in areas of comparative advantage, to the country to cut down on foreign exchange rate," he said.
Mahama said government was implementing a farm mechanization concept by providing tractors at affordable rates, to groups and individuals to provide ploughing services to rural farmers at low costs to enhance their production.
He said the government was also carrying through with its interventions to subsidize farm implements, equipment, fertilizers and seedlings, among other things.
The vice president noted that government's interventions in the agricultural sector, coupled with the level of food production going on nationwide, indicated that the country was on course to reducing her food imports drastically within the next three years.
He observed that the youth had not embraced agriculture as a means to
earning a livelihood and urged them to take to farming because it could make them have meaningful living.
The move is to encourage medium and large scale food production among the youth, especially in areas of comparative advantage, to triple food production within the next three years.
It is also meant to cut down on the country's use of foreign exchange on food imports and make the cedi much stronger.
According to Vice President John Mahama, Ghana currently imports food to the tune of one billion dollars annually, a trend that the government was determined to reverse.
To this end "government is mapping out a strategy to encourage the production of soyabean, maize and other cereals that form the core of staples enjoyed by the citizenry.”
He said the government was also designing an initiative on poultry production, which it planned to roll out soon, to ensure a reduction in the amount of poultry products the country imported.
"Our policy is to encourage import substitution by increasing the production of crops and livestock in areas of comparative advantage, to the country to cut down on foreign exchange rate," he said.
Mahama said government was implementing a farm mechanization concept by providing tractors at affordable rates, to groups and individuals to provide ploughing services to rural farmers at low costs to enhance their production.
He said the government was also carrying through with its interventions to subsidize farm implements, equipment, fertilizers and seedlings, among other things.
The vice president noted that government's interventions in the agricultural sector, coupled with the level of food production going on nationwide, indicated that the country was on course to reducing her food imports drastically within the next three years.
He observed that the youth had not embraced agriculture as a means to
earning a livelihood and urged them to take to farming because it could make them have meaningful living.
Glorious Satellites shock Brazil for gold
Ghana’s Black Satellites in one of the most difficult circumstances shocked Brazil to lift their first, and Africa’s first gold in the history of the U20 championships.
And it took 120 minutes of goalless nerve racking football, with ten men and a 4-3 penalty victory to exorcise the Brazilian ghost which has long haunted the Satellites.
Agyemang Badu, with equally a man of the match performance converted the last kick to glory but the exploits of goal keeper Daniel Agyei cannot be overemphasized.
The Brazilians were gunning for their fifth gold and it was all looking manifest in the opening 30 minutes of the game. Nearly a minute and half into the game, the Ghanaians had not kicked the ball.
The sweet playing South American side assaulted the goal area of the Satellites, and in the 3rd minute, Dalton, proved why he is a central defender, when he dug his head into a superb cross from Douglass in Ghana's final third. His efforts went flying high into the sky and to Ghana's relief.
the Satellites were left off the hook in the 9th minute after a delectable free kick missed Henrique's head and the goal post by inches.
The Brazilians knocked the ball around in no hurry at all for a goal, and kept the Satellites chasing their shadows.
The underdogs lifted up their game but the only opportunity to punish goal keeper Rafael was missed by serial goal scorer Dominic Adiyiah.
Just when their confidence was soaring after a scrappy opening, the bombshell came with a straight red card flashed in a rather controversial circumstances to defender Daniel Addo in the 38th minute.
Samuel Inkoom contributed to the woes of the defender, when he needlessly gave away the ball to the Brazilians and in a counter attack left Addo helpless, bringing his attacker down in the process and attracting a straight red card.
But truth be told the Belgian referee Frank DE BLEECKERE was harsh with his call.
Agyemang Badu was pulled back to assist Jonathan Mensah in the heart of defence and the two did a superb job albeit some desperate moments.
World Champions
The South Americans had their tactics spot on, clipping the flying wings of wing backs, Samuel Inkoom and David Addy whose rampaging runs up-field could not be crowned with their usual incisive cross.
From recess the strategy was unchanged. The Satellites defended as if their lives depended on it, whilst the Selacao poured in to unlock the tight defence.
Goal poacher Dominic Adiyiah was was usually overcrowded by Junior and Toloi after his strike partner Ransford Osei was pulled out for tactical reasons.
The Brazilians got edgy as the minutes wore on, displaying some erratic long range shots which forced second time saves from Agyei after he spilt it in the first attempt.
Teixeira proved a slippery customer for Addy on the left and in one of his superb runs picked an unmarked Souza whose final shot in the 67th minute went wide.
The resolute Ghanaian defence kept the South American attack at bay till the end of 90 minutes.
In extra time the game was even more nervy. The Satellites caught the Brazilians on the break on few occasions, but an instinctive and heroic save from Daniel Agyei in the 96th minute kept the Satellites dream alive.
Teixeira breached the Ghanaian defence set Maicon but the striker could not keep his nerve and shot into the path of Agyei.
It always looked like the tussle will be settled by firing squad and the Belgian referee rightly pointed to the spot after 120 minutes of barren exchange.
The South Americans again had the opportunity after Jonathan Mensah and Addae wasted their kicks, but a Teixeira and a Maicon miss turned the tables around.
Skipper Ayew, Adiyiah, Samuel Inkoom had earlier converted their kicks and needed the final kick of glory from Agyemang Badu to realize a long held ambition of winning Africa’s first U-20 trophy since 1970.
And it took 120 minutes of goalless nerve racking football, with ten men and a 4-3 penalty victory to exorcise the Brazilian ghost which has long haunted the Satellites.
Agyemang Badu, with equally a man of the match performance converted the last kick to glory but the exploits of goal keeper Daniel Agyei cannot be overemphasized.
The Brazilians were gunning for their fifth gold and it was all looking manifest in the opening 30 minutes of the game. Nearly a minute and half into the game, the Ghanaians had not kicked the ball.
The sweet playing South American side assaulted the goal area of the Satellites, and in the 3rd minute, Dalton, proved why he is a central defender, when he dug his head into a superb cross from Douglass in Ghana's final third. His efforts went flying high into the sky and to Ghana's relief.
the Satellites were left off the hook in the 9th minute after a delectable free kick missed Henrique's head and the goal post by inches.
The Brazilians knocked the ball around in no hurry at all for a goal, and kept the Satellites chasing their shadows.
The underdogs lifted up their game but the only opportunity to punish goal keeper Rafael was missed by serial goal scorer Dominic Adiyiah.
Just when their confidence was soaring after a scrappy opening, the bombshell came with a straight red card flashed in a rather controversial circumstances to defender Daniel Addo in the 38th minute.
Samuel Inkoom contributed to the woes of the defender, when he needlessly gave away the ball to the Brazilians and in a counter attack left Addo helpless, bringing his attacker down in the process and attracting a straight red card.
But truth be told the Belgian referee Frank DE BLEECKERE was harsh with his call.
Agyemang Badu was pulled back to assist Jonathan Mensah in the heart of defence and the two did a superb job albeit some desperate moments.
World Champions
The South Americans had their tactics spot on, clipping the flying wings of wing backs, Samuel Inkoom and David Addy whose rampaging runs up-field could not be crowned with their usual incisive cross.
From recess the strategy was unchanged. The Satellites defended as if their lives depended on it, whilst the Selacao poured in to unlock the tight defence.
Goal poacher Dominic Adiyiah was was usually overcrowded by Junior and Toloi after his strike partner Ransford Osei was pulled out for tactical reasons.
The Brazilians got edgy as the minutes wore on, displaying some erratic long range shots which forced second time saves from Agyei after he spilt it in the first attempt.
Teixeira proved a slippery customer for Addy on the left and in one of his superb runs picked an unmarked Souza whose final shot in the 67th minute went wide.
The resolute Ghanaian defence kept the South American attack at bay till the end of 90 minutes.
In extra time the game was even more nervy. The Satellites caught the Brazilians on the break on few occasions, but an instinctive and heroic save from Daniel Agyei in the 96th minute kept the Satellites dream alive.
Teixeira breached the Ghanaian defence set Maicon but the striker could not keep his nerve and shot into the path of Agyei.
It always looked like the tussle will be settled by firing squad and the Belgian referee rightly pointed to the spot after 120 minutes of barren exchange.
The South Americans again had the opportunity after Jonathan Mensah and Addae wasted their kicks, but a Teixeira and a Maicon miss turned the tables around.
Skipper Ayew, Adiyiah, Samuel Inkoom had earlier converted their kicks and needed the final kick of glory from Agyemang Badu to realize a long held ambition of winning Africa’s first U-20 trophy since 1970.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Gov't to Implement ?50m Youth in Agriculture Proj in 2010
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday announced a 50-million- cedi “youth- in-agriculture” project to be executed in 2010 as part of determined measures by government to arrest unemployment.
He said although the project started on a modest scale this year, funding for it would be dramatically increased next year to encourage more youth to venture into agriculture as a viable livelihood to reduce poverty.
The project, which will run alongside the proposed 225 million -cedi Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) initiative, is a targeted policy by the Mills administration to deliver a better Ghana for Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions and the contiguous Savannah
belts in the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions.
Speaking during a courtesy call on Na Abdulai Ziblim, Regent of Gulkpegu in Tamale as part of a four-day tour of the Northern Region, Vice President Mahama said the project would help to reverse the migration of the youth in the area to Accra and other urban centres for menial jobs.
To sustain the project, he said government, intends to establish agriculture centres which would provide farming inputs such as seedlings and fertilisers at subsidized rates to improve upon yield.
Mr Mahama asked the people to have faith in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), as it was poised to reverse the affliction of poverty and joblessness among the youth in the area.
Citing the SADA initiative, Vice President Mahama said it was meant to transform the region drastically and give it a face lift.
He said the legal processes for its implementation shall be followed through when Parliament resume sitting.
Vice President Mahama said SADA was being fashioned as a “development vehicle” for the area in line with the pledge of the manifesto of the NDC to the people.
He asked the people to exercise patience with the government as it works diligently to fulfil the mandate for which it was voted for.
Vice President Mahama said the NDC inherited a difficult financial situation but had worked to stabilize the situation, adding: “Everything is now on track. We have been fairly successful in stabilizing the cedi, which was falling like a piece of stone.”
He expressed support for communities which were recently inundated with floods owing to the opening of the Bagre dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Na Abdulai Ziblim asked government to expedite action on upgrading of the Tamale Teaching Hospital to meet its current status.
He also appealed to the government to expand educational facilities in basic as well as Senior High Schools to facilitate teaching and learning.
He said although the project started on a modest scale this year, funding for it would be dramatically increased next year to encourage more youth to venture into agriculture as a viable livelihood to reduce poverty.
The project, which will run alongside the proposed 225 million -cedi Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) initiative, is a targeted policy by the Mills administration to deliver a better Ghana for Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions and the contiguous Savannah
belts in the Volta and Brong Ahafo regions.
Speaking during a courtesy call on Na Abdulai Ziblim, Regent of Gulkpegu in Tamale as part of a four-day tour of the Northern Region, Vice President Mahama said the project would help to reverse the migration of the youth in the area to Accra and other urban centres for menial jobs.
To sustain the project, he said government, intends to establish agriculture centres which would provide farming inputs such as seedlings and fertilisers at subsidized rates to improve upon yield.
Mr Mahama asked the people to have faith in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), as it was poised to reverse the affliction of poverty and joblessness among the youth in the area.
Citing the SADA initiative, Vice President Mahama said it was meant to transform the region drastically and give it a face lift.
He said the legal processes for its implementation shall be followed through when Parliament resume sitting.
Vice President Mahama said SADA was being fashioned as a “development vehicle” for the area in line with the pledge of the manifesto of the NDC to the people.
He asked the people to exercise patience with the government as it works diligently to fulfil the mandate for which it was voted for.
Vice President Mahama said the NDC inherited a difficult financial situation but had worked to stabilize the situation, adding: “Everything is now on track. We have been fairly successful in stabilizing the cedi, which was falling like a piece of stone.”
He expressed support for communities which were recently inundated with floods owing to the opening of the Bagre dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Na Abdulai Ziblim asked government to expedite action on upgrading of the Tamale Teaching Hospital to meet its current status.
He also appealed to the government to expand educational facilities in basic as well as Senior High Schools to facilitate teaching and learning.
Author: GNA Date: 25/09/2009
Police Grab Ex-NUGS Officers
The Ministries police last Saturday arrested two former officers of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) for refusing to hand over the union’s properties in their possession.
Ahmed Benni, former Education and Democratisation Officer and out-gone Coordinating Secretary Patrick Ayitah were picked at different locations and put behind bars after a complaint was lodged to the police on the state of the union’s assets they were holding on to.
Ahmed Benni was said to have forcibly collected keys to the NUGS vehicle from the official driver and rove it to an unknown destination.
On the part of Patrick Ayitah, police said he was being trailed for locking the offices of the Union at the State Housing Corporation, thereby refusing the new executives access to the union’s official documents.
The duo spent close to three hours at the police station last Saturday before being granted bail through the help of some friends and relatives.
Police said on Saturday that the out-gone student officers were given up to 2pm Monday 28th September, 2008 to produce the union’s assets in their possession. They said that failure from the student leaders will result in their prosecution.
Patrick and Benni were alleged to be part of a faction that frustrated out-gone President Ishmael Tweneboah from successfully running the affairs of the union.
Ishmael, according to sources, was seen by the group as an NDC sympathizer who frustrated any kind of agenda to favour the NPP.
The group recently tried to prevent the holding of a handing-over ceremony at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) but did not succeed when the Tesano police were called in to keep it at bay.
After the handing-over, members of the dissident group were still bent on their activities as they tired to hold a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to overthrow Ishmael Tweneboah who had already handed over to a new administration under the leadership of Wonder Madilo.
This reporter gathered that the purported NEC meeting did not come off as most of the appropriate representatives under the union boycotted it. The group has been livid with anger following the defeat of some candidates it allegedly had preference for at the Kumasi congress.
NUGS President Wonder Madilo told newsmen via telephone that the development had frustrated new executives from undertaking their constitutional duties.
He disclosed that under normal circumstances, the NUGS official vehicle should be parked at the premises of the Ministry of Education since it was that government entity that provided the bus and the official driver.
As at the time of filing this report, scores of people including new executives had gathered at the Ministries Police Station waiting for the bailed student leaders to hand over the assets of the Union.
Ahmed Benni, former Education and Democratisation Officer and out-gone Coordinating Secretary Patrick Ayitah were picked at different locations and put behind bars after a complaint was lodged to the police on the state of the union’s assets they were holding on to.
Ahmed Benni was said to have forcibly collected keys to the NUGS vehicle from the official driver and rove it to an unknown destination.
On the part of Patrick Ayitah, police said he was being trailed for locking the offices of the Union at the State Housing Corporation, thereby refusing the new executives access to the union’s official documents.
The duo spent close to three hours at the police station last Saturday before being granted bail through the help of some friends and relatives.
Police said on Saturday that the out-gone student officers were given up to 2pm Monday 28th September, 2008 to produce the union’s assets in their possession. They said that failure from the student leaders will result in their prosecution.
Patrick and Benni were alleged to be part of a faction that frustrated out-gone President Ishmael Tweneboah from successfully running the affairs of the union.
Ishmael, according to sources, was seen by the group as an NDC sympathizer who frustrated any kind of agenda to favour the NPP.
The group recently tried to prevent the holding of a handing-over ceremony at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) but did not succeed when the Tesano police were called in to keep it at bay.
After the handing-over, members of the dissident group were still bent on their activities as they tired to hold a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to overthrow Ishmael Tweneboah who had already handed over to a new administration under the leadership of Wonder Madilo.
This reporter gathered that the purported NEC meeting did not come off as most of the appropriate representatives under the union boycotted it. The group has been livid with anger following the defeat of some candidates it allegedly had preference for at the Kumasi congress.
NUGS President Wonder Madilo told newsmen via telephone that the development had frustrated new executives from undertaking their constitutional duties.
He disclosed that under normal circumstances, the NUGS official vehicle should be parked at the premises of the Ministry of Education since it was that government entity that provided the bus and the official driver.
As at the time of filing this report, scores of people including new executives had gathered at the Ministries Police Station waiting for the bailed student leaders to hand over the assets of the Union.
Author: The Insight Date: 30/09/2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)