The University of Ghana Students’ Representative Council (UG-SRC) has asked government to waive off the payment of utility bills by tertiary students in the country.
Addressing a Press Conference on Tuesday, University of Ghana SRC President, Ms. Esinam Afi Seade demanded government to issue a directive to the Electricity of Ghana and Ghana (ECG) Water Company Limited (GWCL) as well as the University of Ghana authorities to desist from billing students for the ensuing academic year.
Recently the Finance and General Purposes Committee of the University of Ghana proposed utility (electricity and water) charges to be factored into students’ fees for the 2016/2017 academic year. In this proposal, Residential and Non-residential students are to pay utility fees of GHc2, 326.20 and GHc920.88 respectively.
However the proposed fees are yet to be approved by the University Council in a meeting scheduled for June 30, 2016.
But according to Ms. Seade, her outfit will resist the University’s decision to bill students in the wake of threat from utility companies of disconnecting the campus.
The UG-SRC President further asked students of the premier university to be calm as they would not relent on its effort in seeing to it that students continue to enjoy the leverage current national leaders did relished in their days as students.
“We further call on all students of the University of Ghana to remain calm as the SRC will not succumb to any policy decision at the detriment of students’ welfare. The SRC stands with students always!” she said.
Meanwhile Ms. Esinam Afi Seade failed to state specific actions her outfit will take in the event government relent on its promise of footing the entire utility bills for the 2016/2017 academic year and beyond.
By: Emmanuel Dzivenu/ Radio Univers 105.7 MHz
