Today can confirm an in-house fighting among the elected executives of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) follows the citing of two separate press releases copied to the paper each announcing the dismissal of two different crops of executives.
UGS Presidents
The first release jointly signed by the two out-going NUGS presidents; Peter Kwasi Kodjie and Osman Ayariga Abdulai, announced the dismissal of General Secretary Ali Gbonta Tafhim and Press and Information Secretary Austin Brako Powers for making publications in the name of the Union without recourse to its internal structures.
Ali Gbonta Tafhim and Austin Brako Powers were by the said release directed to hand over all NUGS assets in their custody, including their identification cards and official files with immediate effect.
According to Peter Kwasi Kodjie and Osman Ayariga Abdulai, the Union ?has suffered an irreparable loss as a result of these publications that sought to cast a slight on the image of the two presidents and the image of the Union in the public eye.?
The release accused the two executives of being behind several publications including ?Creation of 45 constituencies are inappropriate ? NUGS,? Fireworks @ NUGS: Peter Kodjie Steals GH?20,000 from NUGS Fidelity Account,? Give us quality, not free education ? NUGS tells political parties? and Students need quality education, not ?junk? freebies ? NUGS.?
NUGS said based on the actions of the two executives, NUGS? core values have been compromised and extremely violated.
?By their actions, they have demonstrated an unwillingness to work cooperatively and collaboratively within the confines of the Union, and a failure to recognize and respect leadership?s authority,? the statement noted.
However not soon after this release was copied to the press had another release bearing the signature of the supposedly sacked Austin Brako Powers come with the counter claims that the National Executive Officers (NEO) of the NUGS have announced the immediate dismissal of the President of the NUGS Mr. Osman Ayariga and his deputy Peter Kodjie for stealing GH?20, 000 from the union?s Fidelity Bank Limited account.
The second statement copied to the President John Dramani Mahama; Ministry of Education; National Youth Authority; all SRC Presidents and all Vice Chancellors said Osman Ayariga and Peter Kodjie have impugned on the struggling reputation of NUGS in the media and at functions and have not been good at reflecting the expectation of students.
?Mr. Osman Ayariga has exhibited weak cell and weak personality in his representation of Ghanaian students. He has failed again to account the amount given to the Union to organize its emergency Congress at the GNAT HALL which he used to sponsor his girlfriend {Jemilatu Bawah, who was former Vice President of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS), Legon Students Representative Council (SRC),? the statement disclosed.
Austin Brako Powers noted that NUGS does not support corrupt and weak cell leaders and would exposed them as time goes on.
?We are by this notice directing Peter Kodjie and Osman Ayariga to stop carrying themselves as National Executives and are to with immediate effect stop representing the UNION.?
Meanwhile Political watchers have decried the recent happenings in the students? body describing it as particularly disturbing since NUGS has just come out of a dark era of division and apathy.
They argued that if things continue like this, unity within the Union could suffer another blow possibly leading to the complete collapse of NUGS.
Some tertiary students whose views were sampled by this paper believe this in-house fighting is principally occurring because certain political elements were hiding behind these ?na?ve? student leaders to foist their political agenda.
STORY: POLITICAL DESK REPORT
