APPRECIATION by AASU

Dear Summit Participants ,
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I am pleased to say thank you to each of you who attended the 3rd Africa Students and Youth Summit which took place in Accra, Ghana from August 27 to September 1, 2013. We appreciate you for taking the time and effort to be here to be part of a gathering that sought chart a sustainable course for Africa's Development.

We also thank you for your participation and sharing your ideas and experiences.

We certainly hope that the Summit has been all that you expected it to be and that you have taken the opportunity to make new friends and renew old acquaintances from all over Africa.

Our objective for this year's summit was to build on the achievements of the previous years' with this year’s ultimate goal being to learn what we can do to achieve a better Africa. We accomplished this, by setting an agenda to support African development through continuous interaction and partnership with the African Union (AU) to build a prosperous and peaceful Africa.

I sincerely believe we have been successful in this endeavour.

If we have been successful, I will recommend that we take all the things we have learned back home with you and positively impact your communities, universities and workplaces.

The maiden Africa Education and Leadership Awards Ceremony was a truly historic moment of the Summit. Personalities and institutions that had distinguished themselves in their areas of endeavour to uplift Africa from its current predicaments were honoured.
I am hopeful that this initiative will inspire you to contribute passionately towards ridding our continent of the present evils that plaque it. We will continually monitor to identify next year's nominee's.
Once again, please accept my warmest compliments.

Looking forward to seeing you at next year's Summit, which I believe will be a ten-fold magnificent experience.

I can't wait.

Kind Regards,

Awaah Fred
Secretary General
(Head of Mission)

M: +233243101626
E: secgen@aasuonline.org

PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE BLOC HEADS OF NUGS ON THE NUGS AWARDS SLATED FOR THE 11TH OF OCTOBER, 2013.

The National Union of Ghana Students component blocs made of up GRASAG, TTAG, USAG, GUPS and the Regional
SRCs have taken note of a press statement issued by the National President of NUGS and General Secretary where it stated among other things that NUGS awards Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo as Ghana’s statesman of the decade. 

According to article 27,28 and 29 of the constitution of NUGS, the presidents of the bloc and or their representatives are
members of the National Executive Committee in addition to other National Officers. For NEC to take a decision, a quorum consisting of the National President and 6 other members of NEC must be established.
 

In deciding to embark on this award, the structure of the union has not been followed. The position of the bloc heads have
been ignored in several decisions in running the affairs of the union. Not all members of NEC have been consulted in planning this award scheduled to take place at the Erata Hotel, Accra. The bloc heads are not aware of the formation of the committee to plan this awards night and have not been consulted in the selection process of the awardees.
 

The position of the President and the Secretary as issued in their press release of 2nd October, 2013 makes it sound that it is the leadership of NUGS that has decided to award Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo. In as much as all students in Ghana and Ghanaians acknowledge the crucial role of Nana Akuffo –Addo in the democratic dispensation of Ghana and possibly deserves to be awarded, we want to let the nation know that we do not have anything against the accolades that have been used to describe Nana Akuffo –Addo. All we want is that the right structures must be followed.
 

In the Election Petition, there were other petitioners who are equally worthy of praise. The respondents played a vital role as well. All Ghanaians helped the process. We are all happy about the reforms this petitions will bring to the electoral commission and how elections are conducted in Ghana. We will not support any action that will polarise the front of Ghanaian students.

The bloc Heads of NUGS are not aware of the criteria used in selection of the awardees. There is the need for a broader consultation with all stakeholders in NUGS for such an award to be deemed as representing the views of Ghanaian students. The bloc heads have been in several dialogues and mediation roles between the Steering Committee and the National Officers to ensure a successful emergency congress and election of officers. There is the need for funds to ensure that elections happen. We are not aware of the financial position of the union and sponsors such as RLG and Coca Cola must support student programmes but care must be taken to ensure there is transparency in student governance in
Ghana.

The Union must attend to urgent issues to salvage the image and representation of the Ghanaian student. The emergency congress and the election of National officers is the urgent item that we must all consider. We will be glad to have the National Officers organise this awards night with adequate consultation with the structure of NUGS and with adequate respect to the Constitution of NUGS. We propose a good consultation in selection of awardees, and an awards night that will culminate with a handing over ceremony to save the resources of the union. Ghanaian students understand and we are all not happy with the current increase in utilities. But we do not endorse the purported demonstration of the PPP and there has not been a consensus to have Ghanaian students to embark on a demonstration or support PPP.
 

We want to use this opportunity to call on all stakeholders of NUGS to join us in our attempt to reposition NUGS as a
formidable student group that seeks to advance the course of students at all times
 

Long live NUGS
Long live Ghana
 

      (Signed:)
Asiwome Kodjo Tsamenyi (GRASAG National President, 0244435869)
Steve Kubate Salifu (GUPS President, 0247648864)
Comrade S A Karim (USAG General Secretary, 0242025745)
Yakubu T. Yusuf (President, NAHSAG, 0261810046)
Seidu Ahmed ( TTAG National Coordinating Secretary, 0241492252)

KNUST Speaker Congratulates Freshmen on their Matriculation

On behalf of the leadership and honorable members of KNUST students' parliament House, I congratulate all freshmen now first years on their matriculation.

...OUR MESSAGE TO YOU...
The journey has just begun. you can make and unmake yourself. Be wise in your dealings.
In acquiring skills and knowledge to achieve academic excellence, do not forget to network . Sometimes, what you know does not matter, but whom you know. Create links!

Finally, remember that there are millions of people awaiting you to solve their numerous problems with your exquisite skills and knowledge which will be earned here (KNUST). Therefore, study very hard and as you solve their problems, they will bless you; your parents will be proud of you; you will be fulfilled, and God, your maker, beaming with smiles and beating his chest, will say 'I MADE IT', because your purpose for your being would have been fulfilled.
We wish you a successful semester and do not forget to participate in our programs. 

DEMOCRACY IN ACADEMIC FREEDOM
God bless!
    (signed)
Rt. Hon. Dorcas Osei-Boateng
Speaker, KNUST students' parliament — at Brunei, KNUST.

NUGS TO AWARD NANA ADDO DANQUAH AKUFO-ADDO AS GHANA’S STATEMAN OF THE DECADE – PRESS STATEMENT OF NUGS ON 2ND OCTOBER, 2013

The National Union of Ghana Students has played an enviable role in the democratic dispensation of this country and recognizes its responsibility to conscientize the nation on the virtues of productive citizenry.

In this respect, we the Ghanaian students actively witnessed the height of the test of the Ghanaian Judicial Service with the recent election petition case brought forward by Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo.

The petition exposed enormously the inequities in our electoral process which likely affected the individual and collective will of the Ghanaian people at the polls. The petition also provided a sustainable framework to settle disputes sparked out of Presidential Elections in Ghana.

The then candidate, Akufo-Addo resisted the character assassination by his political detractors and with stoicism demonstrated his intense affinity to the democracy he fought for during the dictatorial era of coup d'états and finally the selfless contribution of same in the promulgation of the 1992 constitutional democratic process. He accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court in good faith and encouraged the Ghanaian people to endeavor to a path that builds.

On the 11th of October at Erata Hotel, we welcome the good conscience of the Ghanaian people to join the students of Ghana to confer on Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, the highest award of the students of Ghana in the 47-year history of NUGS.

We are hopeful that there is more for him to contribute to the Ghanaian people and the coming years offer enough avenue for him to contribute his quota in the development and governance of Ghana. NUGS wishes him well.

NUGS through this medium also calls on Government to relinquish the burden imposed on students by the recent rise in utility prices and also water especially at the time that the economy seems to be in a bad shape. We therefore endorse the demonstration of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) to drum home the demand in cutting these unfavorable prices hikes.

Signed
Andrews Kofi Gyan Louisa Atta-Agyemang
(NUGS President) (NUGS General Secretary)
0247990093 0241967709

Source: http://www.spyghana.com/akufo-addo-awarded-nugs/

NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS JUDICIAL BOARD PRESS STATEMENT, ACCRA SEPTEMBER 30,2013

The JUDICIAL BOARD of NUGS wishes to inform all stakeholders that National Officers are relentlessly preparing for an emergency congress in the shortest possible time and must hold on to their steadfast loyalty to our great union.
The scuffles,misunderstandings, among others which characterized our 47th annual residential congress of NUGS hosted by Central Uni. College brought the event to an abrupt end. The court injunction which came to a close on September 26, 2013 aggravated the situation, prolonging an emergency congress which everybody hoped and still hopes to witness and or partake.

Article 57 (a,b and c) of NUGS constitution promulgated in 2008 states that: The Judicial Board shall have jurisdiction in
(a) All matters relating to the enforcement or interpretation of this constitution
(b) All matters arising as to whether a resolution was made or authority has acted in excess of the powers conferred on it by this constitution or any other provisions made there under
(c) All matters relating to elections under this constitution. 

Therefore the Judicial Board has ordered that the National Officers take full responsibility of all preparations for an emergency congress as managers of our resources.
The date, venue and any other thing that would make the emergency congress a reality within the shortest possible time must be communicated to member institutions in order not to push delegates, students and the various SRC’s into any form of academic inconveniences since academic work has begun on all campuses.
The Board also wishes to inform member institutions that it is erroneous and a total violation in this situation for anybody or a group of students to organize an emergency congress.

Besides, Article 17 (a and b) states that
(a) There shall be a last CC meeting as the first activity of congress
(b) A steering committee shall be formed after the meeting supra to oversee congress.
In this case the steering committee does not organize congress. All pre-arrangements of congress must be done by National Officers, so that when the date is due, steering committee comes in to oversee the conduct of congress with the help of the National Officers.

The Judicial Board wishes to state categorically that it is unconstitutional for any individual or group of persons apart from the incumbent NUGS Executive members to organize any form of congress under the NUGS 2008 constitution.
The Judicial Board would resort to any legal means to enforce its interpretations and rulings if anybody fails to live up to the aforementioned. Thank you.

Signed

Elijah Adansi-Bonah
(Chief Justice & Judicial Board Chairman)

Ghana’s future left in the dirty hands of student politics?

Sometimes, I sit down and ponder on the future of Ghana and Africa. We always say, the YOUTH ARE THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY. Is that wholly true? To me, the question is not about whether we are the ‘future’ or the ‘now’ of our country. But it’s a question of preparedness. Are our youth prepared to take up the challenge of the future?

The unanimous answer is always YES! The youth are ready.  And I agree. We are ready because there is not so much to learn and to apply at the top there. Most of us today, know already how to skin 20%, off a contract. We already know how to divert communal/public funds into our private accounts. We already know the dirty ways of ‘playing the political game and winning the votes of the people.

This is what STUDENT LEADERSHIP in Ghana has grown to become. Know how to convince the people and win their votes, even if it means buying it from them and reimbursing yourself with the communal funds upon wining power. Youth leaders or particularly, we the STUDENT LEADERS already know how to bloat budgets. It’s a sad reality for us.  The dirty remnants of our national politics have crept into youth leadership.
Government seems to lack a clear policy direction on YOUTH LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT. LEADERSHIP TRAINING, YES! AND I MEAN LEADERSHIP TRAINING. The whole process seems to have been left at the mercy of STUDENT POLITICS. And it sounds interesting how every STUDENT LEADER LEAVES OFFICE WITH A FUTURE AMBITION OF CONTESTING FOR MP IN THEIR CONSTITUENCIES and we achieve it, in most cases-except where the old gurus are yet to retire, at most by 2016. To me, the greatest punishment successive governments of Ghana have inflicted upon the development prospects of Ghana is to have left LEADERSHIP TRAINING in the hands of STUDENT POLITICS on campuses and at CONGRESSES. The least said about the Congresses, the better. Because in the end, we all claim, ‘JACK! THE STUDENT POLITICS IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT FROM THE NATIONALPOLITICS.  IT’S EVEN TOUGHER DOWN HERE’. How sad.

I believe, moving forward as a nation, Government should set up a clear institution for LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR THE YOUTH, whether incorporated in the academic curriculum as an extracurricular activity or outside of it. It should focus on helping the youth understand the ever-expanding CIVIL SOCIETY, GLOBALIZATION, THIRD PARTY GROUPS LIKE NGOS AND CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS, their intended and unintended consequences on development.  Africa should channel resources into helping current youth/student leaders understand the roles we can play in our quest to attain the MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS and fighting CLIMATE CHANGE. These are the tasks of our generation.

It is for these reasons that the US Department of State and other advanced countries commit up to $232million to building the leadership capacities of our youth through their various cultural-exchange programmes like the FULLBRIGHT Scholarship, YES (Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study ), IVLP  (International Visitor Leadership Program), IMET, Peace Corps, PPAP,  etc.  I believe government should shift emphasis to these paths as ways of securing the development of our country because indeed, STUDENT POLITICS, since the return to democracy, from 1992 has failed as woefully, as a nation and I say it again woefully without fear or favour.

The writer, AHMED SALIM NUHU, is the current president of the College of Art and Social Sciences Students’ Council, KNUST.

Source: http://www.myjcr.com/articles/opinions/ghanas-future-left-in-the-dirty-hands-of-student-politics-770

47TH NUGS CONGRESS BEGINS IN PRAMPRAM

A former Ghanaian Diplomat and Columnist, Dr. K.B. Asante has challenged Ghanaian students to use the unique opportunity they have as students to think of relevant ways of solving the myriad of problems Ghana is facing. He expressed worry about the essence of certain courses being offered in the various Universities and the impact they have on students' skills development.

Dr. Asante, who is a columnist with Daily Graphic, said this during a short ceremony to begin the 47th National Union of Ghana Students' Congress today in Prampram.

The Congress, which spans from 24th to 26th August 2013 is under the theme; "NUGS: A RELIABLE PARTNER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT". It has brought together over 800 student leaders from across the country to the Campus of Central University in Prampram.It will offer these student leaders the platform to debate pertinent issues bordering the welfare of Ghanaian Students: hear from speakers and experts in tassel meetings and finally elect new leaders to carry on the leadership mantle.

Professor Kwesi Yankah, President of the Central University urged the students/delegates to have the will to dream and make them become realities to better society. 

The NUGS President, Andrew Kofi Gyan was impressed with the coordination of mechanisms within NUGS in ensuring that his administration run devoid of factions and conflicts which often retards progress. Kofi Gyan used the occasion to advise students to respect the August 29th Verdict when it is declared by the Supreme Court.

The ceremony was officially used to launch the Ghana Student Discount Card; an initiative by NUGS which will see student holders buying products in some selected shops at a very good discounted rates.
President of the National Union of Students, UK, Toni Pearce, who launched the Discount Card commended her Ghanaian counterparts for such a wonderful initiative. She promised to partner NUGS to embark on certain projects which will be of benefits to students in both country-UK & Ghana.

For more updates, Stay tuned to NUGS NEWS DESK!! We have our correspondents on the field working to keep you posted.

“Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta!”