FROM :THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) OF NUGS.

24th September, 2015

MEMO

FROM :THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) OF NUGS.

TO : THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION, 

STEERING COMMITTEE, NATIONAL OFFICERS, AND THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP OF NUGS

SUBJECT: THE POSITION OF NEC ON THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING THE EMERGENCY CONGRESS

Please accept greetings  from the National Executive Committee (NEC) of NUGS. 

The National Executive Committee of NUGS wishes to, first and foremost apologize to all stakeholders on the recent happenings within the rank and file of the Union in the runup to the emergency congress, which is slated for Saturday October 3, 2015 at the Islamic University, Accra.

NEC gives due cognizance to the structures of the Union and acknowledges the efforts of all and sundry especially the National Executive Officers (NEO), the leadership of the Steering Committee, the Electoral Commission (EC) as well as the general student populace in ensuring that the Union moves forward in this "trying moment".  

We further wish to take responsibility for all the mishaps that befell the Union in recent times especially with the brouhaha surrounding the Electoral Commission.

Without seeking to recollect the already spilt milk, NEC has resolved and accordingly directs that the following be observed by all parties for love of God and our dear Union.

We acknowledge the recommendations made by the National Executive Officers of the Union and wish to state that it purely remains a recommendation/suggestion as explicitly stated in the said statement. Our constitution provides that nobody or organ has the authority to compel the Electoral Commission which is an independent body to effect such changes except the members of the commission. This is pursuance to Article 50 (f) of the NUGS constitution.

We further want to accentuate that, under our current constitutional regime, it is within the purview of the NEO to convey Congress and not any other body, i.e whether emergency or normal Congress (The combined effect of Article 15 and 16 vindicates this position).

We further recommend the following:

1. That, henceforth, all parties should respectfully desist from issuing Statements or Circulars on the above subjects but rather communicate their  recommendations directly to the body concerned because the open exchanges are not helping matters at all. We are thus, calling for a rather diplomatic engagement with significant finesse for love of God and Union. 

2. That, all parties should uphold the spirit and letter of the very Constitution that binds us together as a Union and provides independence to the aforementioned bodies while working hand in hand for the success of the emergency Congress.

3. We again wish to communicate to both the Electoral Commission and the Steering Committee to take the very decisions that shall be in the collective interest of the Union towards having a smooth, transparent, free and fair Elections rather than kowtowing to the whimsical and capricious predisposition of any individuals or group. Both committees enjoy some significant independence in view of their crucial roles and that, must be respected and upheld by all. 

4. In view of the foregoing, NEC suggests to the National Secretariat (NEO) to engage the services of the Electoral Commission of Ghana; which we believe shall best help prevent some basic avoidable electoral flaws and allay the fears of all stakeholders 

In conclusion, NEC wishes to reassure all and sundry of our unwavering commitment to ensuring that nothing is left to chance as far as the organization of the emergency congress is concerned. And that, NUGS shall triumph once again.

We are hopeful and confident that we could count on your usual cooperation and support for love of God and Union. 

Thank you. 

Signed 

Iddi Muhayu-deen

NUGS General Secretary (Secretary-NEC)

(0245335197)

Prosper Dzitse

NUGS President (Chairman-NEC)

(0546580044)

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THERE IS NO EXCUSE! NUGS MUST WORK AGAIN!

After the just aborted 49th NUGS Congress, it is no longer debatable that our UNION needs a FIX to RESTORE it to those timeless values that were once its hallmark.

What is even more untenable is that the NUGS President has not even offered an unqualified apology to the students of Ghana, whose resources have just been mismanaged in a very inexplicable manner. There has been no show of remorse or regret on the part of the NUGS President for the happenings at the 49th Congress. That the students of this Country are taken for granted by the leaders of this country is not enough. Our very own too, have taken to the gallery to abuse our conscience and insult our intellect.

Clearly, this is unacceptable!

We cannot keep running the Union in this haphazard manner. If glory must be served to the Head of an organization, so too must blame be apportioned squarely.  

Let me quickly reiterate that RESTORATION is a message of HOPE, VIBRANCY and RELEVANCE.

I have often looked at our Union with a mixture of hope and fear. I have asked myself time and again is NUGS a rising or setting sun? But now I think I know - it is a rising sun that is tainted with so much apathy and indifference. If only we will rid all the apathy and indifference we will have happiness to know that NUGS can live up to its billing. NUGS Must Work Again.

And so when we say NUGS MUST WORK AGAIN, it’s not just one of those slogans, it’s a clarion call to all to come together to make NUGS more relevant and conspicuous in the scheme of things in this Country.

Time is of essence, I cannot wait to see NUGS WORK AGAIN.

THERE IS NO EXCUSE, NUGS MUST WORK AGAIN!  
Signed,

BOYE WILLIAMS
(NUGS PRESIDENT CANDIDATE)

RESTORATION
#NugsMustWorkAgain

VOTE BOYE AND SHARE FROM HIS CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

By: Charles McCarthy

Ladies and Gentlemen of NUGS, I have nothing new to tell you about Comrade Boye William, the man who has volunteered to serve his constituents and through the National Union of Ghana Students earnestly solicits your support and votes as the next President of NUGS, but to stand beside him bearing eloquent testimony that as a tested and reliable man, student activist he meant well for NUGS and posterity.

Boye has a character line that reflects unpretentious group and social concerns and lives laboring for collective good. He believes in the power of shared vision even at the family level. Good Mothers, Good Fathers and Young Delegates, I am standing as a young element to witness that this mandate is given to Boye as a sacred social contract with a man of charisma and mission to serve and transform NUGS to her pre-eminent light of the student activism status. 

 I am a witness to his pro-students and transformational manifesto as a sacred covenant and out there begging for you cherished voters’ mandate.  He is a good man; he has been a tested activist and student leader. He will do well as a proletarian president and there will be accountability, transparent and good governance, genuine union relationship, and youth and women development. 

Impede not the coming of Boye William, because he is the choice of delegates and we are only awaiting his coronation date. He’s indeed the quintessence of all campaign slogans.

253

REJOINDER

My attention has been drawn to a publication on Critical Thinkers WhatsApp Forum and same circulated on other WhatsApp platforms with my name and contact as the byline. 

My investigation revealed that a certain NANA BOAKYE registered to MTN number 0246970434, who is holding himself as a former TESCON PRESIDENT OF TESCON-KNUST and Head of Publicity of KUSI DANQUAH GODWIN LAZIO’S NUGS PRESIDENCY CAMPAIGN.

It is true I did a write-up titled ‘EMERGENCY CONGRESS 2015: TIME FOR NUGS TO CHOOSE A LEADER’, It is true also that the piece was tailored to project Boye William over and above his contenders. 

The effects of the article was what pushed the Head of Publicity of Lazio’s Campaign (Nana Boakye) to engaged in academic dishonesty by editing my write-up to court hatred for the obvious choice.

I am shocked at Nana Boakye and for that matter TEAM LAZIO, because as Head of Publicity of a presidential campaign, the least I expected from them was to debate policies and curriculums, they are engaged in politics of malice.

Please disregard the deliberate desire by TEAM LAZIO to maim the leadership ambition of Boye William. What they have to appreciate is the fact that Boye exemplify the leader and father NUGS need. He topple   his challengers and has since remain the pain in TEAM LAZIO’S neck.

Please disregard the claim that I wrote to ruin the popularity of Boye William. I don’t want to incur the wrath of God. ‘Touch not my anointed’ –touch not Boye because he’s sent to come and undo the do to restore NUGS, for NUGS must work again.

…signed...

Charles McCarthy

EMERGENCY CONGRESS 2015: TIME FOR NUGS TO CHOOSE A LEADER

By: Charles McCarthy(0553002776)

Dear Reader, I ended last weekend with an insight about the vision that Boye William has for National Union of Ghana Students  if elected as the President of NUGS,  my mobile phone was bombarded with series of calls and SMS from former officials of SRC and students who have already graduated many years ago and undergraduates from various campuses studying both at Home and in the Diaspora; the feedbacks has really shown the level of importance the students attach to their umbrella body called NUGS.

Today, the man of the moment is Boye William of University of Professional Studies Accra, he's a veteran Comrade that has spent several times following the activities as well as serving the students organ, and the first time he was Accra Academy SRC President and president of Greater Accra Regional SRC.

Now I ask, what shall it benefit someone in SRC that her contemporary almost became graduates of the college, maybe he has forgotten something so special in SRC.

However, from what I am seeing, PK has already lost touch with the reality of life in NUGS, I have said it before that I am not a student of history but a custodian of history, as such, Paa Kwesi cannot be allowed to contest even if he does he will definitely loss out based on the fact that the President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) about to hand over is coming from the same tock.  As enshrined in the tradition of NUGS, this is time for the other bloc to produce the next President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS).

I wonder why someone that has contested for NUGS Presidency twice and lost out in two attempts still doing in the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) instead of playing advisory role, the last time I met PK in Jasikan, the capital town of Jasikan District with one of the Presidential Aspirant then from NUGS "Please, don't discussed issues of NUGS with me because, I am no more a Student, in fact, I have moved on" he said. I don't know if I am still dreaming to see the same PK contesting for NUGS Presidency.

It is on records that I was able to get a clear-cut policy and direction thrust of leadership from Boye William. But I was unable to get any from PK up to this moment, as I write. This, in my opinion, is not the best approach or way for someone that intends to lead a union of intellectual minded young people.

While I blame the former student leaders for not making the NUGS Constitution and Charter of Demands available to the young people aspiring to lead NUGS because most of them have never seen NUGS constitution and charter of demands in their life and they want to aspire. May be it is because they are not close to the POWERS that be in NUGS but some of us are fortunate enough to have a COPY.

Conclusively, I want to state without fear of intimidation or favour that Paa Kwesi should have a rethink and reconsider his position and step aside honourably in order to give the younger generation the chance to test their popularity across the Ghana. How can he the oldest of all be preaching renaissance, when he was part of the generational failure? Where the energy is the synergy? Why hasn’t he cooperated?

ONE MORE THING

As a matter of fact NUGS under the dexterity leadership of Comrade Boye William will restore the hope of the Ghanaian Students based on his "Operation Reinstate All The Politically Victimized Students and Activists in Ghana", the information available before me has clearly shown that he has started talking to the leadership of other student bodies in an attempt to bring all of them under one single umbrella apart from the empowerment scheme, indeed Boye is consolidating on his "NUGS MUST WORK AGAIN" campaign. 

Under Boye, the intellectual capacity of NUGS as an organization would be exalted, so that the various structures of the union- state joint committee and students’ unions now have requisite intellectual wherewithal to lead successful and genuine struggles to protect the interest of an ordinary students.

Ghanaian Students for that matter Delegates cannot forget in hurry the recent struggle for the reduction of Academic Facility User Fee (AFUF), the National Service online registration fee and the attempt to revise in the anti-residential policies. Despite the fact that I have my own disagreement with President Prosper, but I must give him kudos for this singular feat for opposing the UPSA Declaration; a position that has since put him against his king makers. We cannot forget the nationwide disconnecting of schools and colleges in the country. Our tertiary institutions keep increasing the cost of same sets of admission forms. The criteria for selecting applicants still remain a misery. In fact NUGS needs to really work again to restore smiles on the faces of its teaming members.

IDDI OF NUGS FAME OCCUPIES NUGS CONGRESS (2015)

Many were those who for some justifiable reasons, have expressed and continue to express surprise and bemusement about the apparent loud silence of the gentleman of NUGS fame and the failure of his captivating pen to occupy the just ended NUGS congress in view of the several outlandish occurrences recorded at the botched programme which took away its shine. Some cynics even proceeded to insinuate that Iddi has astonishingly, lost his stouthearted pen and thus, lacked the requisite bravado and testicular fortitude to occupy his own. Hahaha they really do not appreciate what it means to be an avowed occupier. This very occupation nonetheless, is not in response to them but a natural occurrence which would have happened anyway because characteristically, I take some few days to reflect on what to occupy so that my account becomes watertight and bereft of bugs. 

Now, the Occupation: ...

Like I always say, the essence of this exercise or rendition is not to affront the good name of any union or association but rather to bring to the fore, the issues as happened for the purpose of learning the necessary lessons to guide us moving forward. Arguably, NUGS did not get it right at all as far as this year's congress is concerned; owing to a number of factors. So what went wrong? Fundamentally, 4 core issues av identified which are as follows:

1) The choice of Okuapeman SHS 

2) The nauseating bedbugs saga

3) The inexplicable failure to hold CC on day two of congress as scheduled

4) The unpardonable negligence of the EC

1) THE CHOICE OF OKUAPEMAN SHS 

Even though I had earlier sought to justify the choice of Okuass as the congress venue because I didn't have any reason to doubt the LOC, I think that, with the benefit of hindsight, they certainly could have done much better is getting us a better alternative in the same region after the disappointment from the Presby college of education. The LOC again did very little by way of properly inspecting the accommodation facilities of the institution and ensuring that they were at least, up to scratch before the arrival of delegates because they (the LOC) were of the mistaking belief that the assurances from the school authorities were enough to allay all fears but this, unfortunately was not the case. The accommodation challenges were so overwhelmingly manifest much to our dismay. We all had to help clean up the place even on the arrival day which was surely, inconveniencing and somewhat, problematic. 

2) THE NAUSEATING BEDBUGS SAGA 

Admittedly, there were issues of bedbugs invading the accommodation facilities at the congress ground which really tormented some delegates even though, the issue was somewhat, exaggerated on social media but one cannot begrudge such alarmists because there cannot be any justification for delegates to be made to experience such disservice in this 21st century. Without seeking to do any inept rationalization, the issue of beg bugs is a no news in the nation's second cycle institutions because it is almost ubiquitous. Am sure we all anticipated this problem the very day we were informed that the congress would be held in a senior high school.

So what measures were put in place? I can confirm that the place was indeed fumigated four days before our arrival (day 1); perhaps the animals were just too stubborn for the chemicals. That notwithstanding, the rooms were re-fumigated twice at the expense of the union, the following day in view of the public outcry before it was somewhat, brought under control, thou not completely arrested. This obsession or preoccupation in the early hours of Thursday affected the first activity of congress (float and outreach to Akropong school for the blind) which couldn't come off. 

3) THE INEXPLICABLE FAILURE TO HOLD CC ON DAY 2 OF CONGRESS

Even as the general secretary of the union, I still do not understand why the congress CC wasn't held on the eve of Thursday as planned. Almost everyone was prepared for it but to no avail. The excuses for me were at best, inept, preposterous and irreconcilable. We wasted the entire evening doing a lot of nothing. How pathetic! At a point in time, I wish I had the constitutional powers to convene CC in the circumstance but hmmm. This rather reprehensible action gave room for all the suspicions, aspersions and innuendos that were being casted. Obviously, our failure to hold the CC as scheduled but rather Friday night (which was meant for live band jams) only brought avoidable tension to the ground and affected our activities for Friday and early hours of Saturday due to the issues that emanated from the infamous vetting results, which almost destroyed the congress. 

I salute the NUGS Judicial Board for righting the wrongs eventually and bringing back those candidates that were unduly disqualified. To me, the vetting committee was simply disappointing to say the least. I equally salute the Ghana Police Service for the ginormously fantabulous services and support we received from the men in uniform relative to the maintenance of peace and order at the ground. 

4) THE UNPARDONABLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE EC

Only when we all thought everything was over and that elections (the last congress event) could proceed in earnest (thou quite very late), we were again greeted by what I call, the anticlimax of the whole congress from the EC. How on earth could the EC wrongly give a candidate a different name and proceeds to print the ballot papers without any checks or the necessary meticulousness? Absolutely, unpardonable if u ask me. This eventually led to the abrupt dissolution of congress by the steering committee, the EC and NEC because that was the only option at the time. 

NOW, THE SHOCKING REVELATION 

I know you wouldn't believe that after the botched elections and the subsequent dissolution of congress, some of our colleagues (delegates from various institutions) decided to steal the school mattresses which were hired by the union. Over 138 mattresses were unaccounted for in the final analysis. How sad! Now if each mattress as we are being told, is costing a little over GHS 90, then u can can imagine how much financial loss we have caused to the union we claim we love because surely, the has to, by all mean, replace all the stolen mattresses. If u know u were guilty, then shame on you and don't forget that the union shall come after you sooner or later. Posterity shall surely judge all of us. 

WERE THERE SOME POSITIVES? 

As they say, every coin has a silver lining, so is it the case that a number of positives were recorded at the congress aside the fascinating social engineering we all witnessed; where people made great friends across the gender divide, the opening ceremony was very successful, the CC was excellent until the declaration of the unpopular vetting results which threw the whole house into haywire and unimaginable kerfuffle. There were generally no issues with both the quality and quantity of food served except for the occasional delays, the trip to Boti falls was also great and nostalgic. Same can also be said about the games and the press conference among other positive milestones achieved. As we promised you, there were also no issues of NPP and NDC student caucus trying to outdo each other; perhaps due to the subtle emergence of a 3rd caucus, which is generally seen as a breakaway of one of the two traditional caucuses. 

All in all, NUGS congress was not successful this year and I shed tears that after giving all my all in service of the union, together with my other colleagues, this is our bizarre story which shall go in history and be told generations. How saddened I feel but I hope our Maker will as usual, provide us comfort. As a fallible being as I am, I pray u forgive me if I ever wronged u in line of duty and in private life. But I do not regret serving the Union and am confident that I shall be judged on the positive side posterity. AMEEEEEN 

Please watch out for the next destination of my pen 

A brother in student struggle. Aluta Continua! Victoria Ascerta!

Thank you. 

Iddi Muhayu-deen

The gentleman of NUGS fame

(0245335197)

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