The National Union of Ghana Students says Ghana’s 59th Independence Day is not worth commemorating because the country has failed to provide basic educational facilities and employment for its youth.

A strongly worded statement issued and signed by the Press and Information Secretary, Thomas Takyi-Bonsu, said after 59 years of independence, the country is struggling to manage basic education and provide adequate employment to the citizenry.

“It is sad to see students sit on bare floor and others sit under trees for basic education whiles there are inadequate employment opportunities for the youth heretofore we spend billions of cedis to celebrate it,” the statement said.

The Union said although it understands the essence of independence, wondered what the country is celebrating after 59 years, saying, “this is because Ghana has nothing to show off”.

It asked whether the commemoration is to “shower unfortunate praise on the devastating effects of poor education facilities and unemployment on the lives of the Ghanaians? Or to praise the economic hardship in the country which is collapsing businesses that have employed some youth?”

Read the full statement below

NATIONAL UNION OF GHANA STUDENTS (NUGS)

PRESS RELEASE

59 YEARS WITHOUT BETTER EDUCATION FACILITIES AND ADEQUATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH IS NOT WORTHY TO BE CELEBRATED -Press and Information Secretary declares

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) wish to pronounce that indeed it is important to remember the great day of Independence which is 6th March but not to celebrate it on the expense of poor education facilities and over 120,000 unemployed graduates.

Ghana is 59 years now after the declaration of independence by Kwame Nkrumah, which he further stated, “The black man is capable of managing his own affairs” meanwhile Ghana is still struggling to manage basic education. It is sad to see students sit on bare floor and others sit under trees for basic education whiles there are inadequate employment opportunities for the youth heretofore we spend billions of cedis to celebrate it.

Now, the question is, what have we to celebrate? Is it to again shower unfortunate praise on the devastating effects of poor education facilities and unemployment on the lives of the Ghanaians? Or to praise the economic hardship in the country which is collapsing businesses that have employed some youth?

With that, we even doubt Ghana can still boast of being the first African country to have independence, this is because Ghana has nothing to show off.

We are by this release advocating that in as much as it is good to remember our independence day, Ghana should invest the resources used in celebrating in better education which we believe is the best way in developing a nation. The country should have the grounds toward commemorating this special day especially when it has managed to deafen the alarming sounds of poor education caused by poor facilities and unavailability of basic requirement.

Education continues to be a right not a privilege.

Aluta Continua, Victoria ascerta!

Thank you.

SIGNED

Thomas Takyi-Bonsu

Press and Information Secretary