Group Supports John Mahama's Call For Review Of Data Charges

The Coalition of University students welcomes with joy and great relief, the call on government by H.E John Dramani Mahama, former President of the republic, to negotiate with the Telcos to reduce the cost of airtime and internet data for students and the larger Ghanaian population.

Indeed, the call could not have come at any better time. The coronavirus disease has compelled students to undertake lectures online while at home.

This has greatly increased the hours we spend on the internet and its accompanying high cost. We, however, commend the government and the African Business Center for Development Education, ABCDE, for introducing the eCampus platform to engage Senior High School students following the closure of schools, and wish to add that this can only be sustained if students are provided with free internet data.

E-learning platforms such as zoom, Google Classroom, etc is very much data consuming, and we as a result- being dependants, put an extra financial burden on our parents and guardians.

We are all for continuity of academic activities in these covid-19 times; E-learning has come in handy. As suggested by former President Mahama, we encourage the government to take immediate steps and arrange with the Telcos for a reduction in their tariffs. This will allow students continuous access to online learning without difficulty.

It is our unshaken hope that the government will heed H.E John Dramani Mahama's advocacy for suppression in call rates and data charges as part of its covid-19 freebies.

Signed
Ebenezer Assan
Convenor
Cape Coast Technical University