PUSAG Petitions Prez Mahama et al Tomorrow.
The Private Universities Students Association of Ghana (PUSAG) has announced that they will file a written petition to the President John Dramani Mahama, the Ministry of Education and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education on 6th August, 2014.
The petition would require the Government of Ghana to step in to speed up the charter process for private universities that meet the requirement of the National Accreditation Board (NAB).
Other issues to be petitioned include tax Exemption and Access to GETFUND. On tax exemption, the association believes it is unfair for government to tax Private Universities a 25 per cent corporate tax and is calling on the government to reconsider its position. The association is further calling on stakeholders to grant her members the right to access support from the GETFUND especially in this time of economic hardship.
In a statement signed by the Media Relation Officer, Mr. Raphael Apetorgbor in Accra, the association called on all students of private universities in the country to converge at the Hearts of Oaks Park on the 6th of August at 9am to submit a petition to the above stakeholders.
This event many believe would mount further pressure on the Mahama led NDC administration that has witnessed the most demonstrations in the history of the country. It would be remembered that in 2012, the government pledged to improve education in the country, however, two years into this government there are no signs to government’s commitment to improve education.
The PUSAG petition may put the government on it toes to respond to the many challenges facing education in Ghana.
PUSAG is an acronym for Private Universities Students’ Association of Ghana. In 2005, the Association was formed by five institutions namely Central University College, Methodist University College, Zenith University College, Valley View University and Pentecost University College. Today, PUSAG has a membership of over 38 private universities with student population of about 250,000.