The Parliament of Ghana has by a voice vote rejected a motion filed by Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, asking the government to absorb fees of students in public tertiary institutions and to extend support to private universities for the 2021 academic year.

Mr Ayariga before moving the motion indicated that his request was due to the dire impact of COVID-19 on the incomes of individuals and businesses.

He thus wanted the government to absorb the fees as part of its COVID-19 alleviation programme.

Following deliberations on the matter, the decision to accept the motion or not was put to a voice vote on Thursday, January 28, 2021.

The majority New Patriotic Party members and the independent Member of Parliament for Fomena voted against the motion on the basis that government had already made provisions to support students, as well as interventions in the education sector due to the COVID-19 outbreak.