DEMAND FOR SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AND THE 2014/2015 SRC ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE THAT HANDING OVER IS DONE WITHIN SEVENTY-TWO(72) HOURS TO THE 2015/2016 SRC EXECUTIVES ELECT.

CONCERNED STUDENTS,

UNIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES,ACCRA

P . O . BOX LG. 149 – LEGON,

ACCRA – GHANA.

WEDNESDAY 24TH JUNE, 2015.

To:  All Media Houses -

For immediate Release

DEMAND FOR SCHOOL MANAGEMENT  AND THE 2014/2015 SRC ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE  THAT HANDING OVER IS DONE WITHIN SEVENTY-TWO(72) HOURS TO THE 2015/2016 SRC EXECUTIVES ELECT.

Our attention has been drawn by the conduct of the outgoing SRC President and his executives of a calculated attempt of gross disenfranchise and illicit machinations ongoing against the newly elected officers, as well as the unfair interference of certain management members in the determination of the validity of our SRC Executives elect for the 2015/16 academic year.

Per the provisions of the UPSA SRC Constitution (schedule 1(1&2) states clearly the transition and handing over process respectively. In addition, schedule 1(2a) of the same constitution states explicitly that “the SRC shall hand over to the newly elected SRC within twenty-one (21) working days after the election process of the new executive council, by which time all Departmental Associations and Unions have handed over”. Despite the fact that it is two (2) months now after elections and Departmental Associations and Unions have executed these provisions of their hand over, the SRC is yet to make any move in that regard. 

This worrying concern has been our motive behind writing this release in order to  seek clarity and the way forward as far as the SRC on UPSA campus is concerned.

We were in humble expectation that, transitional processes as spelt out by schedule I of the UPSA SRC constitution should have taken place as follows;

Change of signatories to the incoming executives shall be done at least three (3) days before handing over.

The incumbent SRC Auditor and Chairman of the Judicial Council shall take the incoming SRC President, Financial Controller and Treasurer around to see all movable and immovable assets of the SRC, at least three (3) days before handing over.

Outgoing Executives shall be responsible to give the needed orientation to the incoming executives before handing over.

All necessary office keys and documents shall be handed over to the incoming executives at least three (3) days before handing over.

These breaches of the supreme constitution of the SRC have seriously become a worry and cause for concern to the entire students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra. 

The facts of the matter for concerns are as follows:

Its barely two months now since the election of these new executive officers and the sitting SRC president (Mr. Kris Obodai) has severally made open statements of his administration not going to hand over because he had a preferred set of candidates who lost. Thus, being evident in his undue disregard to the executive elects, no recourse to any orientation or transition processes till date.

All attempts to reach the Dean of Students on the issues at all times proved no better outcome except singing the same songs of the president and threats that the officers elected is not recognized by him as well and that on several occasions reiterated managements bid to re-run this year’s elections.

Further probing into the reasons for the failure in our transition process and handover has disclosed a sudden surprising petition for which we,(the students) are not officially aware nor the elects even a party to.

That a committee has been set up by management embodying membership certain senior members of staff who has very personal interests in the said student petitioners who woefully lost the elections. This panel is supposedly to sit to hear the issue with the possible outcome of annulling the SRC elections or over turning the mandate of the students in the last two months SRC elections to which the Dean of students as reiterated that severally head of the hearing of the matter.

Strangely in the history of UPSA SRC, just before elections, we students had witnessed an emergency SRC General Assembly that the Chairman (Mr. Kris Obodai) who couples as the SRC President, miraculously issued an unconstitutional veto power of dissolving the only student court (Judicial Council), leaving them incapacitated and unrecognized by him, the SRC President (Kris Obodai) and even our dean of students. Hence, no student competent legal jurisdiction to address SRC issues on campus.

It is very surprising that since April that student elections were conducted, issues of this nature never came up until almost July when all students of the University are gone for vacation, leaving we, the students of UPSA to question the brain and intents of the SRC President (Mr. Kris Obodai), the Dean of Students (Mr. Mawuli Feglo) and some others (names withheld) for now.

Finally, official reports captured and presented to the entire student body, the SRC President, SRC General Assembly, SRC Audit Council, Dean of Students by the able students elected electoral commission indicates that “the 2015 SRC general elections that the commission organized and supervised has been overly successful and that the elections was constitutional and conducted in the spirit of free, fair and transparent elections with students officers elect being” (Mr. Dela Dumenu, SRC Electoral Commissioner)

Although we recognize and acknowledge the good intents of UPSA management at all times towards the SRC and students front, we are afraid now, because the recent developments and posture of certain individuals and members interest in this matter is leaving doubts in our minds that the best interest of students and our council this time will be uphold.

Our decision for this action emanates from the above stated facts, and that;

If it is even right that the reputed Students’ Affairs (management court) should sit on such a case and come to a decision that the SRC general elections should be re-run or overturned to favor the candidates the students voted against, we the elected executives would still play a critical role as in the annals of leadership. In this regard, we would be greatly affected by the decisions of the Students Affairs committee and in the utmost interest of justice and fairness call for due process to be recognized and followed. 

The word party in law means any interested persons. However, we the entire students have a real interest in the matter but unfortunately have been kept in the dark on the proceeding issues for which we fear any conclusive decision might not be in the interest of all. So the right platform should be given to us to also express our views. Thus if even there exist any genuine issues about the elections.

We also emphatically state that we do not have confidence in the said Students Affairs Committee based on the posture of some of it members, the interference of the dean of students and the SRC President who has taken sides and that if it should be a fair representation, then all stakeholders including us (students and even the officers elect) must be involved. Hence, a new body should be formed that will be independent and fair before we can be satisfied with any outcome.

Notwithstanding, prior to the hearing of any of this case, we students and other stakeholders have been concerned about the transition process and a lot of emotions have been generated out of this, which is evident in our exhibit representing the voice of the students claiming the elections were true and fair and that their true mandate must hold and stand for justice and fairness to prevail in the student front of UPSA.

We call therefore, in the utmost spirit and letter of the UPSA SRC constitution that the outgoing SRC President (Mr. Kris Obodai) and his entire administration MUST IMMEDIATELY hand over within 72 HOURS and if they ignore, the student front from SRC, GUPS, NUGS and the management of UPSA should expect a further actions.

We, the students are very confident in ourselves and believe the student movement of UPSA is overly capable of managing and handling its own affairs.

It must be put on record that the 72 hours ultimatum must be respected.We the undersigned and other stakeholders are willing to take very serious further actions (of getting the incumbent officers out of office or ensuring that the true mandate of we, students holds) if we see no move is taken immediately to get the right things done. 

THANK YOU.

YOURS, IN THE STUDENT SERVICE.

Signed:

Mr. Tamatey T. Bright         Concerned  Student  (0244499552)

Fred Nii Dodoo  -                 Concerned Student (0275763717)        

 Evans Amardi -                      Concerned Student gt        

Osei Sefa   -                               Concerned Student      

Robert Quaye -                            Concerned Student