Student leaders in the country have given the government an ultimatum to make a definite pronouncement on the payment of utility bills or face their wrath.
According to the SRC President of the University of Ghana, Davis Ohene Fobi, plans by government to compel students to pay utility bills will be opposed since they consider such a decision detrimental to students.
[contextly_sidebar id=”IDy9ZUS4bpGhu2ehQeWxf5KHsYluRmIz”]The Power Minister, Dr. Kwabena Donkor has announced that students in tertiary institution will be paying for their utility bills effective next year.
But speaking to Citi News, Davis Ohene Fobi said all legitimate means will be employed to oppose the move.
“We are giving government seven days , that will end on Monday. After seven days government will hear from us. If we do not hear anything from government by Monday actions will be taken…I don’t think that anyone[student] who is watching me now is so comfortable and will like the idea of paying utility bills.”
Meanwhile the Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko has expressed disappointment in government’s inability to pay the utility bills of the various public tertiary institutions.
He argued that government’s mismanagement of the economy has brought the country to its current state.
Student leaders petitioned Parliament on Tuesday after a meeting with Vice Chancellors Ghana where a policy regarding students paying for utilities was discussed.
Speaking to Citi News, the MP whose constituency covers the University of Ghana-Legon, believes that government must do all it can to avert a situation where utility bills will be passed on to students.
“My considered view is that the so called democratic government is virtually under pressure from the IMF to do this. I want to believe that for the sake of their social credentials, they might not want to do this but they have mismanaged this economy so badly that they have no option to do this.”
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah