Legon Students On The Warpath

Student leaders of the University of Ghana have served notice to the authorities to expect more demonstrations, following the rejection of their appeal for a reduction in the fees charged for this academic year.

According to them, the authorities failed to dialogue with them on the reduction of the fees after they had submitted a petition for reduction.

'At the meeting there was no dialogue as we were only made to speak to our petition. We will, however, not relent in our efforts in asking for reduction in fees,' Rester Torgormey, President of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG), told the Daily Graphic.

He said the students would come out with their next line of action after meeting, adding that a news conference would be held to announce activities they would be embarking on.

The university authorities last Friday turned down a request by the students for a reduction in school fees for the next academic year.

The Registrar of the university, Mr J. M. Budu, told the Daily Graphic that the authorities decided to maintain the fees because 'they are realistic and should have even gone higher'.

'The students are only making contributions,' he said, adding that the university spent a lot more than what the students were being asked to pay.

For instance, he said, the medical fee of GH¢47 went way beyond the services provided under the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Asked why the students were not part of the decision making, Mr Budu said the students were not members of the committee, adding that they were only invited to the meeting to explain some of the things that were not clear in that petition.

He said all students had registered and lectures would start on Monday, August 15, 2011.

The university decided to maintain the same fee schedule released earlier, stating that students should make good use of an earlier announced 50 percent concession which allowed students to pay half of the fees for the first semester and defray the balance in the second semester.

Students of the University of Ghana on July 27 hit the streets of Accra in protest against what they termed “exorbitant” fees approved by the University Council for the next academic year.

The joint demonstration, which was organised by the Executive Council of the Students Representative Council (SRC), the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), the University Students Association of Ghana (USAG) and the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) and dubbed “Yentua” (we will not pay), also had in attendance students unions from some private universities.

The students called for a significant downward reduction in the fees.

They then marched to the Education Ministry, where a Deputy Minister, Mr Mahama Ayariga, received the petition on behalf of the government.

Among other things, they sought the abolition of sports, security and sanitation levies imposed on them and a decrease in the healthcare levy of GH¢47 which they described as far beyond the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) premium.

Similarly, they called for the declaration of a national emergency dialogue on sustainable approach to funding university education in the country, a redefinition of the government's role in the determination of fees and the utilisation of funds by the universities.

The university management later registered its disappointment at the students demonstration, saying that its doors are still open for dialogue and negotiation.

At a news conference, the authorities called on the students to submit a formal petition detailing their concerns on the recent increases in fees for redress.