Unprecedented UWESU Day Marked At UEW-K

The Member of Parliament for Wa Central, Hon. Rashid Pelpuo has tasked the Upper West students of the University of Education, Winneba, Kumasi campus to endeavour to measure up with the glaring standards they have come to meet in the Upper West Region. He made this clarion call when he addressed the Upper West Students' Union (UWESU) at the climax of their week celebration on the theme, "Improving the falling standard of education in the Upper West Region, the role of UWESU".

Taking the students through memory lane, Hon. Pelpuo eulogized the undisputed number of academicians and achievers the Upper West Region has raised and their untiring roles they contribute towards the development of the region and Ghana at large. Without any scintilla of fear and doubt, he mentioned the likes of the oldest Lawmaker in Ghana National Parliament, Hon. A.S.Bagbin, the renowned Dr. GyerDerry, Professor D.D Kuupole ( former UCC vice chancellor) amongst several others. He therefore challenged students to take inspiration from such achievers.

He entreated students to strategically position themselves in a manner that will bring value change in the region by seeing the need of breaking away from the boundaries of poverty and inability. This, they can do by harnessing self employable skills. He crowned it all by tasking students to contribute to education in the region and beyond by working hard at their studies to achieve better results.

Present at the ceremony were the Kumasi Dagaaba Naa, Naa Suantah Franklin, sub chiefs, Queen mother and the most versatile Afro Pop Artist from the upper west region, Ibrahim Bandigu popularly called Ras Bandigu.

The chief, Naa Suantah Franklin, called on UWESU to as a matter of urgency, give advice to the small boys and girls and serve as agents of change in the region as well. He bemoaned the high rate at which girls and boys from the region travel to Kumasi for non-existing jobs. Some of them, more especially the girls end up being prostitutes. He added that a number of these boys and girls have been buried by them (chiefs) without knowing their parents. It is indeed a very worrying issue to them (chiefs) in Kumasi there. Naa Suantah Franklin, on that note, made a passionate appeal to UWESU to advice their younger brothers and sisters to go to school and stop coming to Kumasi for non-existing jobs. He said, when such education is done, it will eradicate or minimize the movement of our young people to Kumasi.

Derbie Rapheal, the outgoing UWESU president used the opportunity to call on chiefs, teachers, parents, politicians, stakeholders and UWESU students to help revamp the poor state of schools in the upper west region. He also made a solemn appeal to the President of Ghana, H.E Akufo Ado to immediately reinstate the suspended Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Sulemana Alhassan or appoint a new regional minister since such a vacuum is retarding development and has the pendency of causing unrest in the region in the not too distant future.

He further appealed to the president to intervene in the Wa Technical University brouhaha which is affecting effective teaching and learning in the institution hence making students a laughing stalk in the eyes of their colleagues in other Technical Universities.

Mr. Derbie Raphael, the outgoing president, challenged the incoming executives to be proactive in order to either maintain or improve the status quo of the union. He said anything lesser than that is a complete failure. The outgoing president and his executives were vehemently commended by the patrons, chiefs and other guest who were present at the celebration. They tagged the celebration, unprecedented. The calibre of persons present at the celebration was surprising to most people including some of the patrons and they could not hide that feeling. According to one of the patrons, Mr. Walter Banoenuma, "if I am asked to grade the previous executives including this one, I will put Mr. Derbie led administration on the first position signifying 100%.