PRESS STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS (NUGS) ON THE PROPOSED TAX ON PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN GHANA

We the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in the spirit of solidarity with the Private University Students Association (PUSAG) wishes to bring to the notice of the Government of the Republic of Ghana that we do not, and shall not, in any way support the proposed Taxes to be paid by private universities in Ghana.

We in NUGS and the National Student fraternity believe that education is a right and not a privilege; and therefore any law that seeks to undermine, nullify, or invalidate this cornerstone on which our National Student fraternity is built shall be treated as an oppressors rule and fought with all our strength and with all our might.

This law will;

Increase the rate at which students drop out from school

Definitely reduce the about 26% of annual intake of applicants by the Private Universities

Lead to the retrenchment of Staff and hence increase the unemployment rate, leading to a high
 dependency ratio, with the possible negative effects attached.

It shall also motivate corruption in the Public Universities due to the high demand coupled with the fact that the private Universities are unaffordable.

It may also lead to the folding-up of most or some of the Private Universities which are churning out quality and not just quantity graduates annually.

Already, Private Universities get no subvention from government, nothing from the GetFund, and no regular support from government. Governments erroneously posit policy with the proprietors in mind with little or no recourse to the fact that we the students feel the burden of payment.

These notwithstanding, private students are expected to be nationalistic, sacrifice a year of our active working life for National Service which most private students see as “National Suffering” because if I spend close to GHs 8000 every year on my education, having collected so many bank loans at commercial rate, since I cannot access the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) and then after that I am paid about GHs 240.00 a month, whiles the job market require years of post national service working experience before I can get a well paid job to settle my debts;  then it is obvious that the economic pressure on the average private student is too high and this has to be checked well  before the situation gets out of hand.

It was for such foreseen circumstances that the framers of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana added among Educational Rights that there shall be no full cost recovery and yet, not only are private students paying full cost, but government is now seeking to add taxes to our already herculean financial challenge.

We are therefore imploring government to retract this harsh regulation before birth before we advice ourselves.

Long Live Ghana

Long Live NUGS

Long live all Ghanaian Students

Signed                                                  Signed                          signed
Louisa Atta- Agyemang                    Elias Zigah        Eugene Akom Damptey
Ag NUGS President                  PUSAG President        Educ. & Demo. Secretary
0241967709                                 0207975394                      0243286574