Eric Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament for Ketu North and former SRC President of the University of Ghana, has dismissed claims linking the 20% increase in hostel fees at the university to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Addressing the issue, he described the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
Agbana criticized the decision by some student leaders to politicize the matter, urging a focus on constructive dialogue to address the concerns of students.
He emphasized that the issue of increased fees must be resolved without political bias to ensure a fair outcome for all.
“It is disappointing for student leaders, who should know better, to propagate the falsehood that the NDC is responsible for the fee increment. These claims are unfounded and deliberately misleading,” he stated.
Agbana’s Clarifications:
- . Fee Approval Timeline: According to Agbana, all fees for the 2023/2024 academic year were approved during the previous academic year under the University Council, which was constituted during the Akufo-Addo administration.
- . Council Composition: He highlighted that the current University of Ghana Council still reflects nominees and representatives of President Akufo-Addo’s government, with President John Mahama yet to appoint new council members.
- . Appeal for Intervention: Agbana called on the government, particularly Education Minister Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, to take swift action to ease the financial burden on students. He urged a reduction in fees to ensure education remains accessible to all, underscoring its importance to national development.
Agbana concluded by reiterating his commitment to advocating for the welfare of students and called for unity in addressing challenges within the education sector.