Chief of Staff petitioned over delay of GIJ graduation

• Posted on August 7, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) branch of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) has registered its displeasure with delay in the formation of the school’s Council.

The students in a three-page petition to Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema said their graduation has been withheld for the past eight months because the government has failed to set up the Institute’s standing council.

Former GRASAG President, Francis Atayure Abirigo said the behaviour of President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo contradicts his promise to Ghanaians during the 2016 elections.

“The desire of every Ghanaian student is to graduate successfully after s/he is through with his academic work. However, this has not been the case for many students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), since the start of 2017,” the petition read.

Read full petition below:

Thursday, August 3, 2017

AKOSUA FREMA OSEI-OPARE,

CHIEF OF STAFF,

REPUBLIC OF GHANA – FLAGSTAFF HOUSE, ACCRA.

Dear Madam;

PETITION ON THE ABSENCE OF STANDING COUNCIL FOR GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM (GIJ)

WE, the undersigned persons, write to your office being mindful of our collective rights encapsulated in the 1992 Constitution that we ‘The People’ jealously adopted to govern ourselves.

Article 25 (1) of the Constitution states that;

‘All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realization of that right –

(c) Higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular, by progressive introduction of free education.”

WE believe the enjoyment of our rights in the Article quoted above have been negatively affected within the last seven months, when His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo took the oath to uphold the very Constitution of the country.

The desire of every Ghanaian student, is to graduate successfully after s/he is through with his academic work. However, this has not been the case for many students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), since the start of 2017.

Students who pursued various Masters’ programmes in the school are in dilemma as their graduation, which was to take place in February was postponed indefinitely because of the absence of a Council.

The cumulative effect of the issue is that, over 800 students will have to sit home until such a time when an action is taken by the government. This represents a harbinger of danger, considering the country is struggling to wean itself from the nightmare of graduate joblessness.

Information from the school authorities indicates they are feverishly awaiting the list of government’s appointees on the Council, in order to have it inaugurated. However, this has not been done for the past months as was anticipated.

Page 104 of the 2016 Manifesto of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) said it will;

“Work with Universities to raise their standards to the ranks of the best among their peers in Africa and beyond to ensure not only that their products are equipped with all the skills needed to build the national economy, but also are able and motivated to take on the challenge and the opportunities for higher achievement in the science and technology-led knowledge-driven global economy through innovation and creativity.”

WE believe the problem students of GIJ have been plunged into by the government contradicts what it promised Ghanaians in 2016.

WE recognize the many efforts of the President Akufo-Addo government in other sectors of the economy but this must not be done to the detriment of the education of Ghanaians.

WE therefore appeal to you to take strong actions to ensure that the Council of the Institute is inaugurated to allow the students, who have sat home for close to a year, to have access to their various certificates.

WE hope that you will consider this as a priority issue in your action plans and policies, and would welcome further discussion with you on it.

Sincerely,

SIGNED                                                                       SIGNED

………………………                                             ……………………..

Francis Atayure Abirigo                                         Austin Brakopowers

+233(0)203183337                                          +233(0)277293124

(Former GRASAG President, GIJ)                       (Student/Citizen)                                       

SIGNED                                                                     SIGNED

………………………                                             ……………………..

Francis Amedeka Forgive                                           Sammy Dowuona

+233(0)244970905                                                     +233(0)244702424

(Student/Citizen)                                                        (Student/Citizen)

CC:

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TO PRESIDENT, NANA ASANTE BEDIATUO

MINISTER OF STATE IN CHARGE OF TERTIARY EDUCATION

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION

GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM

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