NUGS calls for debate on the theme for independence anniversary

Accra, March 4, GNA - National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Saturday called for a debate on the theme for this year's independence anniversary to define its meaning and concept, and set a specific target to enhance accelerated development.

"As a nation, let us begin to debate what exactly we mean by 'Developing and Retaining Quality Human Resources Base'; define this concept, address the exodus of professionals, set specific targets for ourselves and address poor quality education now if we really are serious about accelerated development for Ghana," it said.

This was contained in a statement issued in Accra and signed by NUGS President, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on the occasion of the country's 49th independence anniversary, which falls on Monday, March 6. He said it was frightening to observe that a study carried out by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed that almost half of Ghana's college-educated nationals lived in an OECD country.

Another study by the World Bank also showed that 47 per cent of the same group lived abroad.

"To us, it is defeatist to begin to say 'brain drain is brain gain.' If everybody leaves hoping to send money home, who stays to develop Ghana?" he asked.

Mr Ablakwa said the country needed at least 1,000 pure scientists excluding health professionals per a million population to stay put every year if we were to achieve middle income status by 2015. NUGS stressed the need for the country's leaders to re-examine the problem to find a lasting solution to it.