The University Students’ Association of Ghana (USAG) has expressed worry over the recent hikes in utility bills. The Association lamented in their recent press statement. Below is the full statement:
10th January, 2016
STATEMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (USAG) ON RECENT HIKES IN UTILITY BILLS AND THE IMPOSITION OF ‘KILLER’ TAXES
The University Students’ Association of Ghana (USAG) is disheartened and appalled at the recent astronomical hikes in the cost of utility as well as the imposition of ‘killer’ taxes by the government of President John Dramani Mahama on the ordinary Ghanaian. The leadership of USAG therefore wishes to, by this statement, express the Association’s gross disappointment at the development and accordingly call on government as well as the other relevant stakeholders to reconsider their decision.
As far as we are concerned, there can never be any justification for these killer increases. Government must necessarily reconsider these anti-social democratic policies and draconian measures if indeed it has the interest of the ordinary Ghanaian at heart.
USAG is therefore associating itself entirely with the legitimate concerns of organized labour contained in their press statement issued on Thursday January 7, 2016 where they threatened to stage nationwide protestations with the view of compelling government to do the right thing. The over 400,000 university students in the country are solidly behind organized labour in this struggle and shall actively take part in the series of industrial actions to be rolled out by the nation’s workforce.
As students of Ghana, we are already overburdened with a regime of unbearable cost of education. Many students at the nation’s tertiary institutions are compelled to defer their courses every now and then; with some of them dropping out of school because they are unable to cope with their educational expenses. School fees are at all-time high and our parents or guardians are complaining bitterly.
Businesses are also collapsing because of the unending energy crisis and government’s inability to stabilize the economy. In the midst of these, one would think that government would be very much concerned about this disturbing picture which is militating against our quest to attaining higher quality education. However, this doesn’t appear to be the preoccupation and priority of President Mahama and his government because they are bent on draining our already dry pocket with these unwarranted hikes in utility bills and taxes. How more callous could they have been!
Currently, for the first time in the history of this country, private universities have been slapped with a wanton 25% corporate tax by this very government; a development, which has significantly increased the cost of private tertiary education in the country. We are humbly pleading with the government to as a matter of urgency, reconsider this policy as well. Government does not have to tax everything including education simply because it wants to raise enough revenue to support development.
Education is a very critical sector of every economy hence no government ever contemplates taxing education. What is even more worrying to us is that, government takes all these taxes and decides to spend same on “useless enterprises” like the rebranding of buses and payment of dubious judgment debts. Yet, government claims to have no money when it comes to statutory payments to GETFund, NHIS Fund, road Fund among several others.
The payment of utility bills to public tertiary institutions is another area where government performs very abysmally because such payments to our schools do not come at all. Recently, vice chancellors’ Ghana felt compelled to levy students with utility bills because of the failure of government to honour same. It took strong resistance from student leaders including the various SRCs, though NUGS and USAG to compel them to reconsider this unpopular decision after government’s promise to pay the outstanding arrears. However, as we speak, our checks have revealed that government has since defaulted in paying these monies.
USAG is giving government a final ultimatum to as a matter of urgency, pay these monies, or face the wrath of the students of Ghana. It is our hope that President Mahama would listen to the cry of the ordinary student and act appropriately and timely to protect our fundamental educational rights and freedoms for the love of God and the country.
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION, A KEY TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
Thank you.
…SIGNED….
Henry Akuffo Asiedu
Information and international relations secretary, USAG.
Henry NKOSUO Boakye
President, University Students’ Association of Ghana(USAG).
00233246018003/ 00233507488786
henrynkosuoboakye@yahoo.com
