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SPEECH DELIVERED BY H.E. MICHAEL PAA-QUECY ADU, NUGS @50 PRESIDENT AT THE HANDING OVER AND SWEARING-IN CEREMONY HELD AT THE GHANA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMNNET AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ON THURSDAY 10TH OF NOVEMBER, 2016.
The Chairman of NUGS@50 Handing over/ swearing in ceremony, highly revered invited guests, members of the diplomatic corps, fellow student leaders, colleague students, friends from the media, distinguished ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for honouring our invitation to out of your busy schedule, make it to this important ceremony in the political annals of the National union of Ghana Students, NUGS.
I am humbled to remind you of our institutional trajectory especially in this 50th NUGS year, that in the year 1964/65, the students of this republic emerging out of a conscious liberation struggle for black governance, and associating themselves with the noble quest to secure the nation on the shoulders of an informed citizenry, constituted this Union to further advance the cause of affordable and mandatory education.
That we are gathered here today, is to me, an honor to our call to duty as well as a sense of commitment. I am hereby highly agog and electrified with joy to address an intellectual congregation of this timber and caliber.
Before I launch into the deep, Mr Chairman, it will be a gross display of myopic officialdom on my part if I do not render my appreciations necessary bearing in mind that the journey to this point had not been by individualistic efforts. Permit, therefore, to express my profound gratitude to all members of the union, especially our distinguished invited guests for honoring our invitation.
I wish to, on behalf of the Union salute all the 2015/16 national executives of NUGS for the various roles they played towards the success of this administration. It is a no-secret that my administration has witnessed some turbulent times relative to the "conduct" of some national officers deemed to be counterproductive but nonetheless, the union is still appreciative for their time and sacrifices.
I further wish to render our appreciation to the member institutions of NUGS, the indefatigable Bloc Heads I have worked with, the Judicial Board, SRC & Local NUGS secretariats of the various member institutions, the NUGS@50 Central Planning Committee, all other standing and Ad-hoc committees/commissions, the delegates at the 50th Annual Residential Delegates congress, the Local Organizing Committee, and all other individuals who have shown much support to our administration.
Colleagues, as a natural order, the old must go for the new ones to come up. Through thick and thin, we have come this far, organized one of the most successful and peaceful congress, to, among other things elect new leaders to take over from us.
I am particularly humbled to be the leader who led to accept this enormous challenge to lead the long awaited renaissance we deserve as the watchman of the nation’s destiny and the carving of our constructive pathway to lead the national conversation on the road for a modernized society focused on sustainable development.
I came into office rallying some hope for NUGS, stepped into our Golden Jubilee especially because of three drives; I am sure that enough of us have chanced upon the civil society coalition report on education and its telling nature on the state of education in Ghana. While serving as President, that report reminded me that out of every ten Ghanaian children who start schooling at the basic level, only, the emphasis is mine, one eventually ends up at the tertiary level. The report further revealed that out of every ten children born in this republic; about three out of this ten never have accesses to education due to the challenges of space and cost.
As if that is not enough, we were confronted statistically that, progress to the senior high school from the basic level needs much improvement. Today, rising cost of education at the tertiary level is increasingly appropriating education to be the preserve of the privileged in the Ghanaian society. It was for that reason we launched the campaign "University Education Fees Must Fall! " bearing in mind that education deals with ignorance and also because our biggest challenge as a nation is the fight against ignorance and our determination to utilize the skills and knowledge to transform our country, Ghana.
The Second engine that propelled me in this Golden Jubilee Year are the gains of distinguished individuals who have sacrificed time, resources and for some, their lives for the cause of the National Union of Ghana Students. I refer to those leaders who impeded attempts by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to manipulate academia and successfully safeguarded the academic integrity of our Universities as welcomed by world class standards. I salute the efforts of Hon Thomas Ward Brew, first elected President and Hon Kofi Totobi Kwakye for their sacrifices for the Union and the then NUGS President who lost his life during the protest against dictatorial governance and for the larger freedom of the Ghanaian people.
The Second engine that propelled me in this Golden Jubilee Year are the gains of distinguished individuals who have sacrificed time, resources and for some, their lives for the cause of the National Union of Ghana Students. I refer to those leaders who impeded attempts by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to manipulate academia and successfully safeguarded the academic integrity of our Universities as welcomed by world class standards. I salute the efforts of Hon Thomas Ward Brew, first elected President and Hon Kofi Totobi Kwakye for their sacrifices for the Union and the then NUGS President who lost his life during the protest against dictatorial governance and for the larger freedom of the Ghanaian people.
We are reminded of our very own Dr. Arthur Kennedy who travailed in exile because of his incessant struggle for a transition from the PNDC to a multi-party democratic regime. We are aware of the contributions of Hon Haruna Iddrisu, Hon DR Omane Boamah, Hon Addae Nimo, Hon. Dan Botwe, Professor George Oduro, Dr Amin Adam, Hon Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, among other former presidents /leaders of our Union. We keep in check the pains the leaders of our Union endured in their attempt to frustrate the liberal cost shifting educational policies as rolled out by then Danquah Busia policy especially these times that the debate on the cost of education is resuming its place in our national conversation. To our history on the President of NUGS, Prince Abdul Hanan Adams, who, on an eventful Sunday, lost his life in a motor accident, in line of duty, and was subsequently succeeded by Mr. Ken Abotsi.
The most painful but equally touching account is that of Mr. Acquah Adobah, a student of the University of Education, Winneba, who, just like some of us, attended the 46th Annual Residential Congress of NUGS in Wa and was appointed as an election officer. At the time that those who reduce our Union to personal gains, partisan politics and petty personality cults were advancing their schemes, he, Mr. Acquah Adobah, was asked to go and collect election materials as the elections were on going and in so doing, He met his untimely death in an accident which involved the motor bike he was using to transport himself around.
The most painful but equally touching account is that of Mr. Acquah Adobah, a student of the University of Education, Winneba, who, just like some of us, attended the 46th Annual Residential Congress of NUGS in Wa and was appointed as an election officer. At the time that those who reduce our Union to personal gains, partisan politics and petty personality cults were advancing their schemes, he, Mr. Acquah Adobah, was asked to go and collect election materials as the elections were on going and in so doing, He met his untimely death in an accident which involved the motor bike he was using to transport himself around.
He left an innocent daughter who deserved the love and support of his father in her life and the student Union till today have put the event behind us without any intervention of concern. Even though we lost him, we never lost his unbridling faith in service to society, we never lost his enthusiasm about the believe that elections in NUGS were about good leadership and the opportunities available to us to never yield to failure, I personally recount his hopes in NUGS and the fierce urgency he suggested must be attached to our sustainability. His death, reminds me, that the business of addressing you today and for the past NUGS year is solely to advance the course of education of which its dividends would be harvested by the citizens of Ghana including the innocent daughter he left behind. As a President, I wish to announce that, the Union shall look for his daughter and provide her with a package form the NUGS Scholarship Fund.
It is important I state that as President, I refused to leave the challenges bedeviling our progress for another President and I refuse to believe that those who have turned our Union to be a harvest ground for their personal gains cannot be eliminated from our ranks. In doing so, many, whose interests were not in sync with my leadership principles, considered me as an enemy, but, it all taught us more lessons of life in leadership.
Thirdly my inspiration stemmed from my belief in the National Union of Ghana Students and the inseparable role students’ leaders must play together with other stake holders to secure the nation we envisaged for ourselves in 1957. I recall It took a student leader in the person of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to achieve independence for our nation. NUGS fought fiercely Professor Busia’s extremist policies and stood firmly with the people of Ghana to win the democratic dispensation we are exercising now in this republic. We can refresh our minds about the national service scheme, crafted out of the voluntary service of tertiary students of this republic in service to our cocoa industry and the GETFUND which was duly envisaged at a Central Committee meeting of NUGS.
I presented before the delegates of the 49th Annual Residential Congress of NUGS, the Renaissance Plan, purposed to reform the very structures of our Union to reflect the contemporary political and social milieu we find ourselves. As a Union, we began our journey as a students’ resistance committee that was charged with a consecrated mandate to oppose policies and issues students perceived in their estimation to be untoward. There existed convenience of a rally point especially during the coup regimes and we failed to transform into an objective and nation-conscious movement when we were ushered into this present 1992 constitutional democracy. However, I still believe we are playing our roles contemporary and will continue to ensure the unconditional emancipation of the students of Ghana.
CHALLENGES
There is no denying the fact that, just like every human institution, NUGS, in the year under review, encountered a number of challenges. It is however gratifying to note that, through your support and cooperation, we were able to significantly deal with a chunk of these challenges to the admiration of all. I wish to enumerate a few of these issues:
1) The seemingly unending issue regarding the payment of Utility Bills by students.
2) Lack of cooperation from some member institutions in respect of the fulfillment of their financial obligations and other commitments to the union. It would interest you to note that before we went for congress, only two institutions had paid their dues to the Union and these include: GIL-Accra and GIJ, and I wish to commend them for that.
3) Another challenge we faced was the numerous court cases that derailed our administration. Regrettably, some of these cases were fueled by some of my colleagues, national officers and some external forces. The plan was to illegally throw me out of office. Its very mind blowing to note that after campaigning all over the country, four people who do not even have the authority can call for an illegal NEC meeting with the intent of suspending the Chairman of NEC and for that matter the President of the Union. In fact, they are disgrace to the Union. But I thank God they have failed. I wish to at this juncture salute all my team members and students of Ghana who stood with me and for me. My uttermost appreciation goes to my counsel, Lawyer GODWIN EDUDZI TAMEKLO for his hardworking and consistent defense in court to enable me triumph over all the four cases brought against me on frivolous grounds. For the perpetuates of those acts, I can only advise them that, next time they should know what they want in life and go for it.
Mr. Chairman, In the last fifty years as a Union, we have succeeded to build a brand for the students Union, promulgated a constitution, drafted a strategic action plan, secured an office complex and some assets and built a students’ mass movement that holds in shape the Union. My administration, though faced with many challenges, led the transition of NUGS into a solid mass movement of Ghanaian students with the attention and capacity to become key stakeholder in our nation building process.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
As leaders, it is reassuring to state that, we have been able to established NUGS as a huge brand and a key figure in our national conversation concerning sustainable development. Also, we worked on solid advocacy, new engagements with SLTF, GETFUND, Civil Societies, Government, political parties, statesmen and women, to resurrect our dedication to our nation.
We had the vision to Launch successfully the Leave –No-Child-behind Education Campaign and the Establishment of Five Research Chairs On Education and Governance in the names of Mr. Kofi Annan, President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, the late H.E Ahlaji Aliu Mahama, Professor Anamoah Mensah and lastly Anas Aremeyaw Anas, for their sacrifices for the state. We have started the process but yet to complete it.
We have also initiate an encounter with all the contesting political parties. The encounter is meant to give them the platform to tell the students and youth of Ghana their policies on youth and education in general.
It is our hope that our successors will continue with these initiatives.
In specific, we can identify our achievements in the following areas;
ADVOCACY:
1. LAUNCH OF NUGS@50 ANNIVERSARY:
We began the Golden Jubilee celebration by an official launch of the NUGS@50. The launch was held at the Accra International Conference Centre on April, 5, 2016. The ceremony was graced with distinguished guests and some former students’ leaders that included the first Elected President of NUGS, Lawyer Thomas Ward Brew as the Special Guest of Honour, a number of ministers of state and Members of Parliament some of who were student leaders, Palestinian Ambassador, ALGERIA Ambassador, CUBAN Ambassador, among others. The anniversary cake was cut with shouts of joy to commemorate the fifty years of students' activism.
2. NUGS SCHOLARSHIP FUND:
Foremost and true to the cause of our mission, I am humbled to inform you that the Union launched the ‘NUGS SCHOLARSHIP FUND’ with a seed money of GHC 42,000 to support the educational needs of not less than two hundred students. In the last fifty years, we have exhibited advocacy in support for the right of the Ghanaian to education, however, this NUGS year, we decided to demonstrate our commitment beyond advocacy by sponsoring the education of not less than two hundred students.
3. MAIDEN EDITION OF NUGS' EDUCATION CONFERENCE: This conference was held at the auditorium of the National Council for Tertiary Education on July, 28 and 29 2016 on the theme “graduate destination market and building sustainable funding model for higher education in Ghana”. At the end of the conference, we issued a communique and made the following recommendations to address the prevailing challenges and accordingly call for a sustainable funding model for higher education in the country. Our prescriptions include:
➢ A review of the GetFund Act
➢ Establishment of a National Student Fund (NSF)
➢ Allocation of 15 % of the oil revenue that is earmarked for capacity building for Funding Higher Education
➢ Instituting a regulatory regime for the use of utility on campus
➢ Establishment of Private Education Trust Fund (PETFund)
On the matter of securing a GRADUATE DESTINATION MARKET, we made the following proposals for the consideration of government, curriculum planners and implementers, industry players and indeed all stakeholders in the education enterprise:
i) We recommend that entrepreneurship be made a compulsory course for all students in the nation’s tertiary institutions to adequately prepare them for the world of work. (course be taken by students in at least first and final years of their programmes of study)
ii)That School authorities ensure that Compulsory Industrial attachments undertaken by all tertiary students is well supervised and monitored.
iii)We also suggest that, like tertiary students, lecturers should equally be made to compulsorily undertake industrial attachments at least, once in an academic year in order for them to be abreast with industry requirement and to aid relevant practical teaching and learning.
iv) Last but not least, captains of industry be invited to our tertiary institutions occasionally to mentor students and take them through practical training in order to help bridge the disconnect between academia and industry.
4. ALUMNI HOMECOMING DINNER:
As part of the NUGS@50 celebration, we organized a well-planned Alumni Homecoming Dinner on Tuesday 30th August, 2016.
5. ZONAL LEADERSHIP EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT: we organized two successful zonal empowerment summits in Accra and Kumasi.
6. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ DAY: the international Students` Day celebration was successfully organized with a huge participation by students. It was held at GIMPA.
7. NATIONAL STUDENTS DAY. The national Students Day was celebrated at the Accra College of Education, Accra.
8. FREE HEALTH SCREENING AND BLOOD DONATION EXERCISE
9. CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW: We have started work on the review of the constitution of NUGS. we are hopeful the reviewed NUGS Constitution would address issues on membership, electoral reforms, structural reforms and administrative reforms much needed by the Union. We have to construct an electoral process that reflects debate on ideas, that ensures delegation is pole-positioned in the interest of the Ghanaian student and emphasizes a working secretariat. We must embed a workable administrative unit into our reviewed constitution. We hope our successors will see to the completion of this project.
10.NUGS HOSTEL PROJECT: I wish to place on record that work is speedily on course for the putting up of a huge Hostel Facility for the union at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani. I was hopeful to cut the sod for the commencement of this all important and historic project before I leave office as President. I am optimistic the new leaders will take up this project and pursue it with all seriousness it deserves.
11.FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE: A Key issue that we as a national secretariat worked on was the addressing of the financial independence of our Union and the positioning of our structures to be able to attract funding and generate funds much enough to run our affairs and also to persevere and build a political instrument so dedicated to the true values of nation building, patriotism and students solidarity.
12.OUTREACH PROGRAM ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY: The Union through the women`s commission organized an outreach programme at James Town in Accra with the aim of creating the awareness of teenage pregnancy.
13.NUGS MTN DEBATE: The union organized a debate at the Law Faculty of the University of Ghana. The debate was contested among the blocs on the role of mobile money / financial inclusion in national development.
14. RELATIONSHIP WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE MEDIA: We have built a very strong and enviable relationship with national and international organizations, diplomatic missions and the media.
15. LAUNCH OF THE ‘VOICE CAMPAIGN’: The Union has observed that among all other factors, education and youth policy should be a central force of influencing elections. The leadership of the union therefore, in its quest to help its members make informed decision and also to create a platform for political parties to succinctly sell out their messages on education and youth policy in specific, launched an engagement with the presidential candidates. This programme is dubbed, THE VOICE meaning Vote on Issues Competence and Experience.
PROJECTIONS: We are hopeful that our successors will:
1. See to the Establishment of the National Students Fund.
2.See to it that the NUGS SCHOLARSHIP FUND is sustained.
3.See to it that entrepreneurship skill is made as a compulsory course to be undertaken by all tertiary students.
4.See to the establishment of the PETFUND
COMMENDATION:
NUGS also acknowledges and commends the legendary contributions of some identifiable individuals such as the Ambassadors of Palestine, Algeria, Cuba and some former distinguished student leaders.
Permit me to specially commend and acknowledge my lovely wife, Mrs. Sedinam Adu and my darling son, AlanDaniel Nana Yaw Adom Adu, for the unflinching supports, wise counsel, encouragement and prayer. I am grateful. I could not have come this far without you both. I LOVE YOU BOTH.
National issues:
Election 2016: as we approach the general election to elect new leaders for our nation, I wish to call on all students of Ghana and the youth to be very circumspect with our dictions, actions and inactions and most importantly, let us avoid all forms of violence.
Political party communicators should rather concentrate on advancing to the Ghanaians, its manifestoes, policies and programmes than resorting to unproductive and unnecessary insults of their opponents.
Our leaders should equally aid us the young people to obtain a proper orientation, because an effective and proper orientation of the youth is the key to securing a promising national development.
CONCLUSION:
as students Union, it’s our business to stand for the children on the streets and for all whose continuous marginalization in society makes education more of a privilege than a right. I draw solemn inspiration from the Zulu adage, Ubuntu Ungumuntu Ngabanye Abantu, literally meaning, I am because We Are.
I wish to congratulate the elected officers on your election and I am humbled to remind you Julian Cobbinah to draw on the courage of your colleagues to defy the cynicism of electioneering politics to serve your nation and its students. This is a noble choice and the Ghanaian people and NUGS will thank you for that. For all those who were not victors, it is not patriotism to wish your leaders to fail; I call on you to make available your energy, intellect, ideas, characters and passion for NUGS, for its Doors are opened for policy alternatives and constructive ideas for our larger good.
I would like to state that my fellow executive members and I accepted the responsibility to lead the union, take the union to a higher pedestal and give the union a face- lift, with the aim of working with the leadership formula of;
Q1 +Q2 + MA = C; where
Q1 = QUALITY OF SERVICE RENDERED AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE
Q2 = QUANTITY OF SERVICE RENDERED AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE
MA = MENTAL ATTITUDE BY WHICH YOU RENDERED SERVICE AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE
C = COMPENSATION YOU RECEIVE AS A REWARD FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE.
We thank you for the opportunity to serve you and I thank you for granting me some audience.
May we have a productive 2016/2017 academic year. Thank you and God bless you all.
LONG LIVE GHANA
LONG LIVE NUGS
ALUTA CONTINUA………. VICTORIA ASCERTA
0242548796
paaquecyadu@yahoo.com
It is important I state that as President, I refused to leave the challenges bedeviling our progress for another President and I refuse to believe that those who have turned our Union to be a harvest ground for their personal gains cannot be eliminated from our ranks. In doing so, many, whose interests were not in sync with my leadership principles, considered me as an enemy, but, it all taught us more lessons of life in leadership.
Thirdly my inspiration stemmed from my belief in the National Union of Ghana Students and the inseparable role students’ leaders must play together with other stake holders to secure the nation we envisaged for ourselves in 1957. I recall It took a student leader in the person of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to achieve independence for our nation. NUGS fought fiercely Professor Busia’s extremist policies and stood firmly with the people of Ghana to win the democratic dispensation we are exercising now in this republic. We can refresh our minds about the national service scheme, crafted out of the voluntary service of tertiary students of this republic in service to our cocoa industry and the GETFUND which was duly envisaged at a Central Committee meeting of NUGS.
I presented before the delegates of the 49th Annual Residential Congress of NUGS, the Renaissance Plan, purposed to reform the very structures of our Union to reflect the contemporary political and social milieu we find ourselves. As a Union, we began our journey as a students’ resistance committee that was charged with a consecrated mandate to oppose policies and issues students perceived in their estimation to be untoward. There existed convenience of a rally point especially during the coup regimes and we failed to transform into an objective and nation-conscious movement when we were ushered into this present 1992 constitutional democracy. However, I still believe we are playing our roles contemporary and will continue to ensure the unconditional emancipation of the students of Ghana.
CHALLENGES
There is no denying the fact that, just like every human institution, NUGS, in the year under review, encountered a number of challenges. It is however gratifying to note that, through your support and cooperation, we were able to significantly deal with a chunk of these challenges to the admiration of all. I wish to enumerate a few of these issues:
1) The seemingly unending issue regarding the payment of Utility Bills by students.
2) Lack of cooperation from some member institutions in respect of the fulfillment of their financial obligations and other commitments to the union. It would interest you to note that before we went for congress, only two institutions had paid their dues to the Union and these include: GIL-Accra and GIJ, and I wish to commend them for that.
3) Another challenge we faced was the numerous court cases that derailed our administration. Regrettably, some of these cases were fueled by some of my colleagues, national officers and some external forces. The plan was to illegally throw me out of office. Its very mind blowing to note that after campaigning all over the country, four people who do not even have the authority can call for an illegal NEC meeting with the intent of suspending the Chairman of NEC and for that matter the President of the Union. In fact, they are disgrace to the Union. But I thank God they have failed. I wish to at this juncture salute all my team members and students of Ghana who stood with me and for me. My uttermost appreciation goes to my counsel, Lawyer GODWIN EDUDZI TAMEKLO for his hardworking and consistent defense in court to enable me triumph over all the four cases brought against me on frivolous grounds. For the perpetuates of those acts, I can only advise them that, next time they should know what they want in life and go for it.
Mr. Chairman, In the last fifty years as a Union, we have succeeded to build a brand for the students Union, promulgated a constitution, drafted a strategic action plan, secured an office complex and some assets and built a students’ mass movement that holds in shape the Union. My administration, though faced with many challenges, led the transition of NUGS into a solid mass movement of Ghanaian students with the attention and capacity to become key stakeholder in our nation building process.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
As leaders, it is reassuring to state that, we have been able to established NUGS as a huge brand and a key figure in our national conversation concerning sustainable development. Also, we worked on solid advocacy, new engagements with SLTF, GETFUND, Civil Societies, Government, political parties, statesmen and women, to resurrect our dedication to our nation.
We had the vision to Launch successfully the Leave –No-Child-behind Education Campaign and the Establishment of Five Research Chairs On Education and Governance in the names of Mr. Kofi Annan, President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills, the late H.E Ahlaji Aliu Mahama, Professor Anamoah Mensah and lastly Anas Aremeyaw Anas, for their sacrifices for the state. We have started the process but yet to complete it.
We have also initiate an encounter with all the contesting political parties. The encounter is meant to give them the platform to tell the students and youth of Ghana their policies on youth and education in general.
It is our hope that our successors will continue with these initiatives.
In specific, we can identify our achievements in the following areas;
ADVOCACY:
- We were able to constructively engage all the relevant institutions and stakeholders to ensure that no students paid for utility bills. Even institutions such as KNUST, UCC and UPSA that initially billed their students for utility, we were able to fight and ensured the reversal of that decision.
- We were able to advocate for the immediate release of feeding fees arears to the Teacher Trainees.
- The increment of number of registration centers on the university campuses for voters’ registration exercise.
- The incidence free BECE 2016.
- The release of allowances for Ghanaian students studying abroad on government scholarship.
- Through our effective collaboration with the media, we were able to bring to the limelight, some other core issues of concern confronting the Ghanaian students and fought same with the necessary alacrity.
1. LAUNCH OF NUGS@50 ANNIVERSARY:
We began the Golden Jubilee celebration by an official launch of the NUGS@50. The launch was held at the Accra International Conference Centre on April, 5, 2016. The ceremony was graced with distinguished guests and some former students’ leaders that included the first Elected President of NUGS, Lawyer Thomas Ward Brew as the Special Guest of Honour, a number of ministers of state and Members of Parliament some of who were student leaders, Palestinian Ambassador, ALGERIA Ambassador, CUBAN Ambassador, among others. The anniversary cake was cut with shouts of joy to commemorate the fifty years of students' activism.
2. NUGS SCHOLARSHIP FUND:
Foremost and true to the cause of our mission, I am humbled to inform you that the Union launched the ‘NUGS SCHOLARSHIP FUND’ with a seed money of GHC 42,000 to support the educational needs of not less than two hundred students. In the last fifty years, we have exhibited advocacy in support for the right of the Ghanaian to education, however, this NUGS year, we decided to demonstrate our commitment beyond advocacy by sponsoring the education of not less than two hundred students.
3. MAIDEN EDITION OF NUGS' EDUCATION CONFERENCE: This conference was held at the auditorium of the National Council for Tertiary Education on July, 28 and 29 2016 on the theme “graduate destination market and building sustainable funding model for higher education in Ghana”. At the end of the conference, we issued a communique and made the following recommendations to address the prevailing challenges and accordingly call for a sustainable funding model for higher education in the country. Our prescriptions include:
➢ A review of the GetFund Act
➢ Establishment of a National Student Fund (NSF)
➢ Allocation of 15 % of the oil revenue that is earmarked for capacity building for Funding Higher Education
➢ Instituting a regulatory regime for the use of utility on campus
➢ Establishment of Private Education Trust Fund (PETFund)
On the matter of securing a GRADUATE DESTINATION MARKET, we made the following proposals for the consideration of government, curriculum planners and implementers, industry players and indeed all stakeholders in the education enterprise:
i) We recommend that entrepreneurship be made a compulsory course for all students in the nation’s tertiary institutions to adequately prepare them for the world of work. (course be taken by students in at least first and final years of their programmes of study)
ii)That School authorities ensure that Compulsory Industrial attachments undertaken by all tertiary students is well supervised and monitored.
iii)We also suggest that, like tertiary students, lecturers should equally be made to compulsorily undertake industrial attachments at least, once in an academic year in order for them to be abreast with industry requirement and to aid relevant practical teaching and learning.
iv) Last but not least, captains of industry be invited to our tertiary institutions occasionally to mentor students and take them through practical training in order to help bridge the disconnect between academia and industry.
4. ALUMNI HOMECOMING DINNER:
As part of the NUGS@50 celebration, we organized a well-planned Alumni Homecoming Dinner on Tuesday 30th August, 2016.
5. ZONAL LEADERSHIP EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT: we organized two successful zonal empowerment summits in Accra and Kumasi.
6. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ DAY: the international Students` Day celebration was successfully organized with a huge participation by students. It was held at GIMPA.
7. NATIONAL STUDENTS DAY. The national Students Day was celebrated at the Accra College of Education, Accra.
8. FREE HEALTH SCREENING AND BLOOD DONATION EXERCISE
9. CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW: We have started work on the review of the constitution of NUGS. we are hopeful the reviewed NUGS Constitution would address issues on membership, electoral reforms, structural reforms and administrative reforms much needed by the Union. We have to construct an electoral process that reflects debate on ideas, that ensures delegation is pole-positioned in the interest of the Ghanaian student and emphasizes a working secretariat. We must embed a workable administrative unit into our reviewed constitution. We hope our successors will see to the completion of this project.
10.NUGS HOSTEL PROJECT: I wish to place on record that work is speedily on course for the putting up of a huge Hostel Facility for the union at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani. I was hopeful to cut the sod for the commencement of this all important and historic project before I leave office as President. I am optimistic the new leaders will take up this project and pursue it with all seriousness it deserves.
11.FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE: A Key issue that we as a national secretariat worked on was the addressing of the financial independence of our Union and the positioning of our structures to be able to attract funding and generate funds much enough to run our affairs and also to persevere and build a political instrument so dedicated to the true values of nation building, patriotism and students solidarity.
12.OUTREACH PROGRAM ON TEENAGE PREGNANCY: The Union through the women`s commission organized an outreach programme at James Town in Accra with the aim of creating the awareness of teenage pregnancy.
13.NUGS MTN DEBATE: The union organized a debate at the Law Faculty of the University of Ghana. The debate was contested among the blocs on the role of mobile money / financial inclusion in national development.
14. RELATIONSHIP WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE MEDIA: We have built a very strong and enviable relationship with national and international organizations, diplomatic missions and the media.
15. LAUNCH OF THE ‘VOICE CAMPAIGN’: The Union has observed that among all other factors, education and youth policy should be a central force of influencing elections. The leadership of the union therefore, in its quest to help its members make informed decision and also to create a platform for political parties to succinctly sell out their messages on education and youth policy in specific, launched an engagement with the presidential candidates. This programme is dubbed, THE VOICE meaning Vote on Issues Competence and Experience.
PROJECTIONS: We are hopeful that our successors will:
1. See to the Establishment of the National Students Fund.
2.See to it that the NUGS SCHOLARSHIP FUND is sustained.
3.See to it that entrepreneurship skill is made as a compulsory course to be undertaken by all tertiary students.
4.See to the establishment of the PETFUND
COMMENDATION:
NUGS also acknowledges and commends the legendary contributions of some identifiable individuals such as the Ambassadors of Palestine, Algeria, Cuba and some former distinguished student leaders.
Permit me to specially commend and acknowledge my lovely wife, Mrs. Sedinam Adu and my darling son, AlanDaniel Nana Yaw Adom Adu, for the unflinching supports, wise counsel, encouragement and prayer. I am grateful. I could not have come this far without you both. I LOVE YOU BOTH.
National issues:
Election 2016: as we approach the general election to elect new leaders for our nation, I wish to call on all students of Ghana and the youth to be very circumspect with our dictions, actions and inactions and most importantly, let us avoid all forms of violence.
Political party communicators should rather concentrate on advancing to the Ghanaians, its manifestoes, policies and programmes than resorting to unproductive and unnecessary insults of their opponents.
Our leaders should equally aid us the young people to obtain a proper orientation, because an effective and proper orientation of the youth is the key to securing a promising national development.
CONCLUSION:
as students Union, it’s our business to stand for the children on the streets and for all whose continuous marginalization in society makes education more of a privilege than a right. I draw solemn inspiration from the Zulu adage, Ubuntu Ungumuntu Ngabanye Abantu, literally meaning, I am because We Are.
I wish to congratulate the elected officers on your election and I am humbled to remind you Julian Cobbinah to draw on the courage of your colleagues to defy the cynicism of electioneering politics to serve your nation and its students. This is a noble choice and the Ghanaian people and NUGS will thank you for that. For all those who were not victors, it is not patriotism to wish your leaders to fail; I call on you to make available your energy, intellect, ideas, characters and passion for NUGS, for its Doors are opened for policy alternatives and constructive ideas for our larger good.
I would like to state that my fellow executive members and I accepted the responsibility to lead the union, take the union to a higher pedestal and give the union a face- lift, with the aim of working with the leadership formula of;
Q1 +Q2 + MA = C; where
Q1 = QUALITY OF SERVICE RENDERED AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE
Q2 = QUANTITY OF SERVICE RENDERED AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE
MA = MENTAL ATTITUDE BY WHICH YOU RENDERED SERVICE AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE
C = COMPENSATION YOU RECEIVE AS A REWARD FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED AS A LEADER TO YOUR PEOPLE.
We thank you for the opportunity to serve you and I thank you for granting me some audience.
May we have a productive 2016/2017 academic year. Thank you and God bless you all.
LONG LIVE GHANA
LONG LIVE NUGS
ALUTA CONTINUA………. VICTORIA ASCERTA
0242548796
paaquecyadu@yahoo.com
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