OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA

         

                                                                                                                           

His Excellency the President 

of the Republic of Ghana

Accra.

Dear Sir,

              RECONSTITUTION OF  THE NATIONAL YOUTH AUTHORITY ( NYA)                                                                              BOARD

On behalf of the entire students and the youth of Ghana we write to your office to take a second look at the delay in reconstituting the NYA Board and to humbly impress upon you to do so in the interest of the youth of Ghana.

His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama,   we wish to bring to your notice that your further delay in this subject matter will subtly undermine your much tauted commitment to youth development.

Since 2012 that the tenure of the current NYA Board expired, as per the NYA Act 1974 (NRCD 241) and as amended by (NRCD 300), no new Board has been formed with reference to section (3) of the NYA Act. Hence the Board as it in existence is an illegal entity; in spite of it claims as a caretaker Board, without powers to make major policy decisions.

Furtherance to this the students and for that matter the youth of Ghana believe that:

The Board is the eye of the Public as regarding the operations of the Authority and also the check to oversee the operations of the officers of the authority. It is for this reason that respected organizations like NUGS have representation on the Board. However, since the  legal expiration of the tenure of the caretaker Board, our Union's new representative has not been inducted into office. 

His Excellency  the old representative of NUGS for instance see himself as your representative and not of NUGS and so we are kept in the dark concerning the development of the youth of Ghana and the operations of the National Youth Authority. Unfortunately for the youth of this country, the current national coordinator of the NYA seems to be very unfriendly towards the concerns of various youth groups in the country. His inaccessibility and 'lack' of the needed leadership that will inspire the youth is of a great concern to us.

His Excellency we are not without conviction that the Board of Trustees of the NYA represents the positive direction of the NYA as well as a monitoring machinery behind the operations of the NYA's front line workers.

His Excellency the above mentioned denied the Union participation and access to the processes that led to the drafting of the implementation plan of the National Youth Policy making it virtually impossible for the Union to input it's perspectives into the document.

We were also left out in the processes that led to the formation of the YES Fund and its onward distribution and as it stands now we are yet to be briefed as a Union on why the non representation of NUGS in all the processes that culminated in the YES initiative since it impinged on the youth with premium on ameliorating graduate unemployment. We have the belief that the Union's involvement would have provided a larger platform for the dissemination of the YES initiative to the prospective beneficiaries. 

It is on this note that we humbly write on behalf of the students and the youth of  Ghana to solicit your immediate attention to the neglected demands of the youth of  Ghana, and ensure that the NYA Board is legally reconstituted now.

Yours in service to the Nation,

Signed:

 Prince David Orchill,

NUGS Rep. to the NYA Board

0201114062/0203244855

Prosper Dzitse,

NUGS President

0546580044

Cc:

The Minister for Youth and Sports

Minister for Education

The Chief of Staff

The Attorney General

The NYA National Coordinator 

All Media Houses

PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION, GHANA (PUSAG) ON THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PUSAG AND UNIBANK FOR THE ANNUAL GAMES AND ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen from the media. We thank you for honoring our invitation today to help us disseminate our recent partnership and its utmost appreciation as National Executives, member institutions and stakeholders of Private Universities Student's Association of Ghana, the entire nation and the world at large. 

We the members of Private Universities Students’ Association of Ghana (PUSAG) are overwhelmed by our new mutually benefiting partnership with Unibank for this year’s PUSAG GAMES. In 2005, the Association was formed by five institutions namely Central University College, Methodist University College, Zenith University College, Valley View University and Pentecost University College. Today, PUSAG has a membership of over 40 private universities with student population of about 70,000. 

PUSAG GAMES is one of PUSAG’S major programmes organized every year since the establishment of the Association in 2005. The Games was established to continuously promote the cordial relationship that exists between member institutions. Some students come to school because activities such as these Games will help unveil their hidden talents and aptitudes. These have been the architect of the PUSAG GAMES. PUSAG offers the platform for the youth to acquire skills in various areas and to empower them to make a difference in their communities as students. Having taken notice of the issue of students in the private institutions, the Association proposes to organize programmes that will empower students to bring out their talents to promote nation building.   

The significant role of sports in the development of most countries cannot be overemphasized. Ghana is of no

 exception to the tremendous benefits accrued to its citizens through sports. It is as a result of this that the Private Universities Students’ Association of Ghana (PUSAG) considers sports and entertainment as a pillar for providing holistic education to its member institution for a better Ghana. 

This year marks the eighth edition of the Annual PUSAG games and entertainment festival. The National Executive team of the association has assiduously been adopting measures to make the event better. After the struggle and pain of visiting most private entities, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. Award winning bank, Unibank finally decided to support PUSAG in our quest to develop sportsmen and women in Ghana. 

This partnership was birth at the peak of the preparation for this year’s event to be held from 23rd to 27th March, 2015. This new partnership with Unibank, the title sponsor, would make the 8th annual PUSAG games bigger and better. The role Unibank is playing in the various facets of development in our cherished country makes them second to none within their scope as trailblazers in the financial and banking sector. This is a noble institution that have everything they play a role in at heart.   

The National Executive team is happy to officially launch the 8th annual PUSAG Unibank Games and Entertainment Festival at this august press conference. Unibank is an organization that takes the bold steps to break the status quo and support groups, initiatives and visions that other competitors struggle to see hope in. The massive footprint already made by Unibank in Ghana’s sports arena is beyond reasonable measure and understanding. UniBank has gone from being the title sponsor for the Black Stars for the past World Cup to being the lead sponsor for PUSAG games and entertainment festival. 

 This demonstrates the extent to which Unibank is willing to support the development of sport at all levels. Communicating the worth and contribution by Unibank would require long pages and a series of episodes. In summary, we would like to inform the world and all stakeholders in all sectors in the country, that we the over 100,000 students and the alumni of the private universities in Ghana are sincerely grateful and hold in high esteem this partnership. 

We the National Executive team, member institutions, friends and family and all stakeholders of PUSAG wholeheartedly believe that this mutually benefiting partnership would make the PUSAG games and entertainment festival one to write home about.  

Long live the students struggle 

Long live PUSAG  

Long live Mother Ghana

Signed.

             Muhammed Adams Sukparu 

           ( National President )                                                   

             0209336562/0260842929

             

                    Richard Odame

         International Relations Director

PRESS RELEASE RECONSTITUTION OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH AUTHORITY BOARD

The attention of the YOUTH ECONOMIC DIALOGUE, Ghana, has been drawn to the fact that the Governing Board of the Nation Youth Authority has not been reconstituted after the expiration of the mandate of the previous Board in January 2013. According to the National Youth Authority Act (241)1974 (NCDR), "The Chairman, deputy Chairman, and other trustees other than the national coordinator shall be appointed in accordance with article 70 of the constitution" and for which their tenure shall be coterminous with that of the President.

As a group interested in the pursuit of the aspirations of the Ghanaian youth, we wish to draw His Excellency the President’s attention to this obvious anomaly. The long delay in reconstituting the Governing Board of the National Youth Authority is impeding the smooth operation of the authority. A case in point is the failure for the implementation of the National Youth policy which was to kick off in 2014 and was scheduled to be completed in 2017. The NYA is yet to set up the Implementation Committee as outlined in the National Youth policy for the implementation of the various tasks and strategic interventions to support attainment of the aspirations and dreams of the Ghanaian youth.

In conclusion, we wish to draw the attention of the President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama and the newly appointed Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Mustapha Ahmed of this unfortunate aberration and to call for the immediate reconstitution of the Governing Board.

----Signed------
Ben Kwaku Asare
National Coordinator
+233548254393

Student Battling With Kidney Failure Needs Support

Ernest Baah is a former student of Tema

Secondary School and currently a level 200

Theology student of Central University College.

He has been met with the tragedy of an end-

stage kidney failure.

The life-threatening condition has ridden him in

bed at the Renal Unit of the KorleBu teaching

hospital as he currently survives on dialysis as

life support.

Specialists say an immediate kidney transplant

is needed to be done in India to save Ernest

Baah.

The family is having a hard time raising an

estimated whooping sum of GHC 60,000 to fund

the procedure and medical expenses.

Individuals and organizations can support financially via:

Bank: GCB Bank

Branch: KNUST

Account Name: I-SAVE ERNEST CAMPAIGN

Account Number: 6031130000092

Email- isaveernest@gmail.com

By Patrick Fynn

SPEECH DELIVERED BY PROSPER DZITSE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS (NUGS) DURING THE LAUNCH OF MY AFRICAN UNION, MY VOICE CAMPAIGN AT THE KWAME NKRUMAH MEMORIAL PARK.

13TH MARCH, 2015.

Mr. Chairman, Her Excellency Mrs. Pavelyn Tendai Musaka, High commissioner of Zimbabwe and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Prof. Atukwei Okai, Distinguished Guests, the Media, Civil Society Organizations present, Colleague Students, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an honour to be speaking on behalf of the youth and students of this country on this special occasion. Let me commend IDEG, State of the Union (SoTU) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for coming up with this laudable initiative.

Indeed the people must first of all be educated on what the various protocols of the African Union are in order for them to help in achieving such protocols. 

We at the National Union of Ghana Students(NUGS) are very happy to be part of this event, an event which we hope will not just be one of those programs that will end up on paper or in Accra, but will be practicalised on the ground and also spread across the country. We are all aware that most programs end up in Accra, and also as a country with many nice policies that never see light of day. I hope we will be guided by the above in working on this campaign.

Mr. Chairman, there is no doubt that, Africa Union as a body has a number of charters, but progress cannot be measured according to the number of charters that it has, but rather the level of impact made in the lives of its people. The youth, women and children are the major sufferers when it comes to negligence on the part of governments to make resources available for their development. For the purposes of this speech, I intend to focus on youth oriented issues. It looks as if the only time the youth exist is when it is time for political campaigns and elections, but let me be quick to say that what the youth need from our leaders, is partnership and not promises.

According to the 2010 population and housing census, Ghana has a youthful population, with about 75% below 35 years.

The youth can be a great asset to the development of any country if their energies are properly harnessed, they can also be great liability if we do not make the conscious effort towards their development.

Among the numerous challenges that confront the youth is the widespread generational gap making it difficult for the youth to be understood by the older generation for youth developmental issues to be addressed collectively.

Again, the rate of unemployment is a great challenge for the youth of today. Even those who struggle to secure employment work under vulnerable conditions. Marginalization from decision making makes it difficult for the voices of the youth to be heard. Indeed, we cannot as a country hope for a better Ghana and future if we do not commit time and resources towards youth development in an era where the youth are no more just considered as the future leaders but also as the leaders of today whose contribution is needed in every facet of our national life.

Mr. Chairman, there is the national youth policy, which lacks commitment from stakeholders for awareness creation and implementation. For instance, the national youth policy, just like other national policies has had its fair share of political masturbation from various political parties before it was finally launched in 2010. It took us close to 5 years to launch its implementation policy. That is how pathetic the situation has become when it comes to our commitment towards the development of the youth. Ghana has also ratified the African Youth Charter which was launched in July 2006 in Banjul, Gambia by African Heads of States and Governments, and 9 years down the lane not much is known about its purposes and intended action. The attempt by various governments to put in place the National Youth Parliament has also failed. What a pity?

Mr. Chairman, it is an undeniable fact that the Youth and Sports Ministry of Ghana only focuses its attention and resources on sporting activities to the neglect of the general youth development. I think if the Ministry of Youth and Sports is to leverage its focus towards youth development just as it does when it comes to sports, our country will be considered extremely blessed. I think that the Youth Ministry should be decoupled from the sports ministry. This will perhaps make it focus the attention on the developmental needs of the youth. The commitment of our various governments towards youth development is questionable, and many instances can be cited. For instance, the mandate of the National Youth Authority board which expired as far back as 2012 has still not been reconstituted. This is a board that is supposed to serve as a liaison between over 50% of the citizens of this country, government and other youth groups outside the country.

Partnerships among youth development actors like the government, the private sector, civil society, academia, international bodies, philanthropists and the media can help increase opportunities for success by leveraging comparative advantages of resources and shared interests.

I believe that, the most appropriate approach to addressing youth development issues by any stakeholder will be the formation of a strong synergy with the young people themselves, their leaders and groups. This will not just make the youth an integral part in decision making but will most importantly prepare them to take over from the older generation there by helping close the generational gap that exists between them and the older generation. This will further help erase the misconception about young people that they are aimless and always want to be spoon-fed.

Mr. Chairman, as the President of NUGS, I cannot end this speech without talking about the challenges that confront us relative to quality education. The story of our educational structure is one of a worry and we must all be concerned. We live in a country where people do not get commensurate value for the investments they have made in education. Access to quality education is becoming a mirage. Unfortunately for us, our economic structures and our educational system are in parallel. In every sane society, these two structures are to be in tandem.

I have said it on different platforms, that we do not have anything to restructure when it comes to our educational system, what we need is a complete change. Ideally, the educational structure of every country is supposed to stem from the vision, mission and the aspirations of the people. We live in a country where our educational system and almost every aspect of our economy are subjected to political parties’ manifestoes. This is certainly not the best way forward. Continuity is lacking in our body politics. We need to change our ways.

In conclusion, I dare say, having an African dream is not enough, and believing in the African dream is also not enough, what we need most is making the African dream work. We can make the needed difference. Indeed, this is “My African Union” and there can be no better “Voice” than this.

Thank you.

THE BEIGE TALENT

BEIGE Capital (BC) is the leading Savings & Loans Company in Ghana, with business offices in several parts of the country and still growing.

As part of its medium term strategy BC intends to grow its operations into becoming one of Ghana’s proud stories in Banking and Finance. In the process, we intend to identify, groom and prepare a team of young and dynamic individuals, equipped with the required skills, judgment and know how. These people would become the face of the Bank in the near future.

To achieve this, BC has implemented a Management Trainee Programme called The BEIGE Talent (TBT). TBT is a practical management development programme, that would expose participants to the reality of work in today’s world. Trainees would be afforded the opportunity to understand various work processes and functions at the Bank, as well as in related businesses and more importantly be given the opportunity to apply their skills, where suitable in these processes.

At the end of the programme, successful trainees may qualify for employment with BC or a related business. Successful Trainees would also receive continuous guidance and counselling on their newly found careers.

How to Apply

– Age, 20 – 27 years

– Must have graduated from University or any Tertiary Institution between 2011 and 2012.

– Must have completed National Service

– Preferred disciplines (Marketing, Sociology backgrounds or equivalent experience, Administration, Banking & Finance, Project Management and related disciplines).

– Good analytical and conceptual prowess.

– Strong team orientation, a self-starter and ability to work under pressure.

– Strong initiative and creative ability.

– Excellent communication and presentation skills.

– Good human relations skills

– Very organized and focused.

– Computer literate

All suitable and interested applicants should send their CVs and Applications

to inimfah@mon-tran.com or call on 0244208683. Closing date for submission is 16th March 2015.

National Sanitation Day, the Way Forward - NAHSAG

The year 2014 will surely go into the annals of Ghana, as the year of an unmatched outbreak of cholera, snuffing the lives of hundreds. As at October, 2014 cholera cases specifically recorded was 20,279 with 169 deaths.

This situation was very perilous hence precipitating the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to initiate the National Sanitation Day (NSD) in November, 2014. It is believed that the NSD which has been injected into the first Saturday of every month shall deal with our embarrassingly poor sanitation and will improve upon the quality of life in Ghana. 

The National Health Students’ Association of Ghana (NAHSAG) lauds government for the introduction of such an initiative, however, we believe there is more room for improvement. 

We discredit various comments of some fellow nationals such as Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah who remark the exercise as a complete waste of time whilst we encourage all citizens to partake in this exercise and endeavour to uphold high hygienic standard.  We believe that proper sanitary conditions and good health for citizens are inevitability intertwined with our development as a nation.  For instance When Peru had a cholera outbreak in 1991, losses from tourism and agricultural revenue were three times greater than the total money spent on sanitation in the previous decade, and hence we should be swift toward preventing and kicking cholera out of Ghana. 

Defeating Cholera requires a united effort from all angle, therefore, in our bid to seeing the National Sanitation day initiative thrive and Cholera defeated, NAHSAG which is a national representative body made up of all health students and fresh graduates in and from the various Health Training Institutions and Universities across the length and breadth of Ghana hereby submits the following:

ATTITUDINAL CHANGE AND EDUCATION

It is disheartening that this national exercise which we believe is meant to promote voluntary cleaning of communities is been fought tremendously with apathy from most citizens. It is moreover appalling that a day set to clean homes and streets is seen as a political deed rather than a national event by a section of people in the country. Instead of politicking with the scheme, we may want to see it as a step in the right direction.   

Maybe the Government needs to change public perception about such a good course, maybe more education on sanitation and health would be necessary, or maybe some Ghanaians would need to step out of mediocrity and help in keeping their surroundings clean. 

Reports indicate that, the NSD has not received the expected patronage in some areas of the country. In this vain, the mass media should play an active role in sensitizing the general public on the need for maintaining clean surroundings and help boost the interest of citizens toward this national exercise for we believe furthering and sustaining the enthusiasm of citizens towards the NSD is important in getting all hands on deck and the activity to stand the test of time.

SANCTIONS

As indicated at the official launch of this project, the then Minster, Hon. Julius Debrah indicated that the current laws on sanitation are weak and non-operating., this is partly responsible for the multi-system non-compliance and encouraging community members to sometimes deliberately refuse to join the working force. Shops and stalls owners fearlessly operate as cleaning goes on and we believe this is demotivating!  

We entreat the appropriate outfits to come out with a bye-law that will make it obligatory for every person to not only take part in the NSD, but also maintain a clean surrounding. Government needs to institute bye laws to castigate people who stay away and we entreat Parliament should pass a bill that shall give the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development the legal backing to prosecute reprobates. 

Moreover the Inability of most local assemblies to effectively complement the efforts of the ministry by enforcing bye-laws on sanitation makes the exercise counter-productive. Therefore we entreat all local assemblies to step-up their individual efforts geared towards this exercise.

We encourage recent developments also, for instance with the Ashanti regional Police Commander, DCOP Kofi Boakye seeking for sanctions to be unleashed on citizens who deliberately abstain from the exercise. Another news item also indicates that the Tema Municipal Assembly prosecuted 13 persons, for not showing interest in the 7th February cleaning (Section 15, sub section 3 (1) of TMA Bye Law 2007 of the Govt Bulletin 2009). 

NAHSAG believes that if the laws on sanitation are harnessed, the nation would make headway!

TEMA WORK AND COLLABORATIONS

We further recommend that the ministry collaborates with other external agencies and corporate institutions; private companies, NGO’s and Civil Society Organisations. Churches, Muslim groups and other religious groups are encouraged to show much commitment towards this course, the Ghana Education Service should compel both private and public schools to take active part in the exercise in our bid to instil voluntary community and environmental cleaning in citizens.

Government should institute Community Sanitation Committees, School Health Committees, Water and Sanitation Management Teams for every electoral area, and the role of Unit Committees should be more evident in this regard.

SUSTENANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS

There is the reservation of the fear that the National Sanitation Day will yield no results, or will die prematurely. In some areas, refuse gathered on the shoulders of the streets as at November, have still not been carted. Others fly into the gutters and productivity remains zero.

It is worth noting that a blueprint to monitor and ensure that the NSD initiative does not turn a nine-day wonder is required. There used to be a National Sanitation Conference (NASCON) where stakeholders meet to draw up policies. We believe, such assemblies will be necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of such projects, and will as well see to the effective management of waste in the country.

Moreover the role of the environmental health officer cannot be elapsed in our quest to stop Cholera. These officers over the years have helped instil sanity in our communities and caused a drastic attitudinal change in citizens. It is very unfortunate that graduates from the three Schools of Hygiene (SOH) in this country namely, SOH Korle-Bu, Ho, and Temale have not been posted Since 2011/2012. Every year students graduate from these schools and are left stranded, where we believe their rich experience in preventive health can be employed especially in this era of Cholera. We therefore plead with government to get these graduate posted in our quest to kick Cholera out of Ghana and to create a proper sanitary environment in the nation.  We finally call for the institutionalization of a community-based participatory monitoring and evaluation mechanism to track the work and progress of each community. 

Signed 

Frank Amoakohene

(NAHSAG President)

By Patrick Fynn

NUGS Vs. WOMEN COMMISSION, TO BECOME PART OF NEC

Ruling of the NUGS judicial board on the case brought before it by the women's commissioner for the inclusion of wocoms into the national executive council of NUGS. 

The jurisdiction of the Board is in relation to all matters affecting the interpretation and enforcement of this Constitution as per 57(c)

The petitioner is in court seeking that the NUGS Women Commissioner be declared as a member of NEC  and any other remedy it deems fit. We are mindful of the fact that chapter 3 of the NUGS constitution which contains the structure of NUGS is an entrenched provision and the constitution provides for the amendment of such provision strickly under chapter 10.

We how ever unanimously share in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th arguments of the council and believe women position ought to be safeguarded at NEC and not given the leeway which may end up with no representation.

We therefore order that;

1.Pursuant to chapter 10, amendment procedures are initiated as soon as possible.

 2. That the petitioner submit a proposal for the amendment to the General Secretary of NUGS who shall upon receipt of the proposal communicate with the President to call for a NEC Meeting within 3weeks from receipt of the proposal for advice as required by 94(c).

3. It is further ordered that the proposal be sent to member institutions at least a week after the NEC Meeting and an emergency CC be called by the PRESIDENT 2weeks after the expiration of the 1month to set up the 5member committee.

4. The court further order that, the 5member committee be set up at the next CC meeting in pursuance to article 94(d).

5. We finally order that, the debate and vote on the proposal be taken at the next Congress.

It must be noted that, failure or delay by any officer or body of NUGS constitutes Contempt of the orders of this court and appropriate sanctions shall be duly handed.

Heard by:

His Lordship Paul Addah

Justice Lenin Anane-Adjei

Justice Awurama Kyei-Baffour

Date: 28th February,2015