General News of Sunday, 29 August 2010

Source: BERNARD BUACHI

NUGS Congress Ongoing Despite Challenges

Hon. Mahmoud Khalid, former upper West regional minister is asking the powers that be to consider re-writing the constitution in a language the ordinary man can understand instead of the typical legal language employed.
Hon. Khalid who chaired the launch of the 44th delegates congress of the National Union of Ghana Students(NUGS) last Thursday was elaborating on the theme for the congress-“managing the complexities of Ghana’s democracy; the role of the student.
He cited the expensive nature of democracy among other factors as complexities in our democracy.
He advised the students to shun the habit of aligning themselves with political parties in order to gain favour, adding that they must provide constructive criticism if they expect governments to take them seriously.
The chairman touched on the growing indiscipline amongst students and called for a change in behaviour, adding that discipline is needed to facilitate democracy.
For his part, Alhaji Isaku Salia, Upper West regional minister lauded the theme chosen for the occasion and urged students to make their education useful to the nation.
This year’s NUGS delegates congress held at Wa in the Upper West region has been described variously as the worst organized by all delegates focus news spoke to. It has so far been characterized by poor and inadequate accommodation, poor nutrition and lack of consensus on many issues. A lot of delegates from the various universities were left stranded.
In a related story, participants at this year’s NUGS congress gathered in their numbers at the Wa police station to demand the release of the Coordinating Secretary, Banasko Francis Ampong Ansah.
It had earlier been reported that the coordinating Secretary and the treasurer, Bonaventure Anane-Quebe had been abducted by unknown persons during the congress.
Banasko, who later resurfaced at the congress grounds was arrested by the Wa police to aid them in investigations into the matter. It was later gathered that the coordinating secretary had been detained at the police atation.

-BERNARD BUACHI
FOCUS FM,KNUST.