Accra, Aug. 24, GNA - The Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students (GNUPS) on Tuesday added its voice to protests by students against what it called the "phenomenal" increase in facility user fees in the universities and said they would "keep away from lectures until the problems are solved."

Briefing the press on GNUPS' stand on the issue, Mr George Sankarl, National president, said "government's action or inaction will determine the next course of action to take." He commended the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) for its stand on the fees, saying it was a bold step.

He said the current income level of the average Ghanaian parent could not afford to pay such "colossal" fees. "We, the Polytechnic community, remain solidly behind NUGS in our genuine effort to find an acceptable solution to the problem."

Mr Sankarl said they have decided to come out because they are likely to be compelled to pay the new fees since they fall under the category of institutions operating within the framework of cost sharing. He said the government's three billion cedis bursary fund to assist needy students in the universities is woefully inadequate.

The student leader said with the 32,000 students in the nation's universities and the fact that about 85 per cent of them come from poor homes, the gesture is inadequate. He said it is unfortunate that the ministry of education did not mention needy students in the other tertiary institutions who fall within the bracket as beneficiaries.