Akufo-Addo Reminds Us Of King Agokorli—Delayed Student Loan Beneficiaries Fumes

Coalition of Concerned Students Loan Beneficiaries (CCSLB) have sounded a strong warning to the Government of Ghana to pay them their money now or else they will soon hit the streets.

They disclosed in a press statement that they are tired of the numerous frustrations meted out by the Nana Addo government to students.

The students noted that Nana Addo administration is similar to that of the famous King Agokorli, saying, “we extend our heart broken gratitude to your outfit for successfully starving and ensuring that you frustrate us by not paying us our monies up till today. You remind us of King Agokorli”.

The students said they are now convinced the government takes delight in listening to stories without attending to the needs of students in the country.

The group indicated that they will register their displeasure at any further delay in payment. They also give government 5 days ultimatum to disburse their money else it will witness a vibrating demonstration.

“Students in various tertiary institutions across the country will be going on vacation after majority of them have spent up to four months on campus and yet a lot of us who are on your scheme are yet to be paid. It won't take this long to even get a loan to fund the whole of Ghana's budget.

“We applied for the loan to enable us survive on campus and not to starve on campus. Now we have starved right from the beginning of the semester up to this far. Even slaves sent to Elmina Castle years back were not starved up to four months!! So wait, you will feel that you have lived up to your mandate when you pay us during the vacation”

“A lot of us are simply struggling to survive. Harrowing stories of how some beneficiaries are struggling to survive is enough nightmare to recount. What is even more annoying is your silence on why you aren't paying beneficiaries. A couple of articles from some beneficiaries three weeks ago hurried your outfit to pay a number of beneficiaries just to calm nerves. Now you have gone back to your auto default mode and calling for more students to come and apply”.

“We are not sure anyone working with the Student Loan Trust Fund by now has any of his/her monthly salaries. Your salaries and allowances are paid religiously! But the very people you are supposed to serve are starving to death while you care less."

They noted that the government’s attitude towards the payment of beneficiaries has gotten out of hand since last semester.

“The government has enough money to spend on comparatively less important things but can't make funding available to pay students who are learning hard to help build this country? Or the government is simply being a spectator to our plight?

“We find the excuse of the government not making funding available quite unbelievable because the government of today claim to have the country's education at heart to the extent of paying allowances to some students who won't even pay back! That's not our problem. So how difficult is it to make funding available to pay students who will eventually have to pay back those monies? This is unfathomable!

“We are not too sure neither your outfit nor the government will want to have a taste of what we are cooking especially as we are writing examinations in frustration.”