Give human face to full-cost recovery- Govt urged

Accra, April 25, GNA- Mrs Cynthia Opoku-Manu, the President-elect of the Students Representative Council (SRC) of Accra City Campus (ACC), University of Ghana, Legon, has appealed to the government to give a human face to the full-cost recovery concept to make tertiary education affordable to the ordinary Ghanaian.

She said as public institutions, "The students wish to appeal to Government to ensure that the authorities of the various universities implement the policy with a human face in order not to sacrifice on the 'altar' of higher fees, characteristics of state universities'. Speaking at the handing-over and induction ceremony of the new ACC SRC executives, on Saturday, Mrs Opoku-Manu also appealed to government through the Ministry of Education to intervene to avoid any astronomical increases in fees at the city campus.

She said, "Now that the ACC has become a fee-paying outfit, though part of the University of Ghana, we should ensure that fees that are charged take into consideration the present economic difficulties coupled with low wages and salaries in the country.

Mrs Opoku-Manu said the notion that students at the ACC are workers, therefore, have money to pay full fees do not entirely reflect the situation most especially for greater percent of the student population.

"If government would grant some form of subvention to the ACC to accelerate the development of academic facilities such as the current on-going construction of lecture halls, we believe it would motivate the university authorities not to fix the fees at levels beyond the reach of most Ghanaians.

She called on the authorities to continue to open their doors for broader and effective collaboration with the new executives both on ACC and main campus in order to ensure amicable compromise on grievances that might result during their tenure of office.

"This we believe will create an atmosphere of friendliness, mutual trust, peace and respect to authority that would prevail to enhance academic and other extra curricular activities," Mrs Opoku-Manu said. Professor J F. Wiredu, Principal of the ACC congratulated the new executives and called for a strong partnership between them and the school administrators in the promotion of peaceful atmosphere on the campus.

He welcomed the call by the new President saying so far as the implementation of school policies were concern, let us try to use dialogue to arrive at resolution instead of resorting to other alternatives, which most at times disrupted the academic calendar to the greater detriment of students.

The other executive members are, Mr Eric Oyortey, Vice President, Mr William Asem, Secretary, Mr Frank Bonnie, Treasurer, Miss Timeo A F Kiertey, Women's Commissioner.