Legon students kick against payment of utility bills
Undergraduate students of the University of Ghana (UG) have opposed plans by the university management to impose utility bills on them at the beginning of the new academic year.
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According to them, individual students are likely to pay over GH¢2,000 for utility services which would take effect from the 2016/2017 academic year.
The proposed bill for water and electricity has been pegged at GH¢922 for non-resident students and GH¢2,326 for residential students.
The bills are reported to be part of measures being considered by the university to clear the debts owed the utility companies.
‘We will not pay’
Addressing the press on Wednesday, the President of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC), Esinam Afi Seade, said the students would not pay any utility bill.
“The SRC is standing firm and saying students are not in a position to do this, so we will stand by students and kick against the payment of the utility bills, “she stated.
On that score, the SRC has issued a directive to all stakeholders, including the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), and the management of the university, asking them to spare the students the proposed charges.
The SRC President also appealed to parents, civil society organisations, students’ unions and the general public, to stand by the students “and vehemently avert this unwarranted charges on students”.
“We further call on all students of the University of Ghana to remain calm as the SRC will not succumb to any policy decision to the detriment of student welfare,” she added.
Exercise restraint
The Deputy Minister of Power, Mr John Jinapor, asked the students to exercise restraint as the government took steps to tackle issues surrounding the implementation of the university’s newly proposed utility charges for students.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) are yet to approve the bills. Nevertheless, the SRC maintains that the proposed bills should not even be considered.