Iddi Muhayu-Deen writes……
Like many
others, I am also suffering from an incurable fatigue relative to commenting on
the seemingly unending issues that have plagued our student front especially,
the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS). Kindly forgive me for being too
hard on some people because I just can’t help it. I get crazy anytime I try to appreciate
the current happenings in NUGS and of course, I blame the leadership of the
Union for contributing to my predicaments. To start with, I wish to “thank” the
current NUGS executives for almost succeeding in destroying the Union and
reducing its significance to an embodiment of pettiness, vindictiveness and
comic relief.
Nowadays, if one
wishes to have a good laugh, the person only has to reflect over the current
happenings in NUGS, which can be likened to “Akan drama” or “cantata series” and
the person would have the LAUGH of his life. I think some of these executives
are wasting their talents in student leadership when they could be making
millions of Ghana Cedis if they had joined their “colleagues” in Kumawood. This
is because the last time I checked, student leadership was a very serious enterprise
meant for the occupation of intellectual or serious minds and not a ground for
an award winning comedy. Unfortunately, per their pathetic actions, it appears
that, this is the kind of unenviable legacy some of these executives want to be
remembered for. How shameful!
Don’t get it
twisted… what is happening in NUGS now has nothing to do with NDC or NPP. It has
everything to do with commonsense and the lack of it. Some desperate people are
only trying to use the names of these political parties to perpetuate malice and
pursue their selfish interest to the detriment of the ordinary Ghanaian student.
They really do not care whether NUGS, USAG, AASU or GUPS burns into ashes once
their parochial interest is safeguarded. It is all about unbridled aggrandizement,
vanity and egoistic tendencies. The leadership of NPP and NDC are focused on selling
their campaign message to the Ghanaian populace and we are here, busily tearing
ourselves apart as if NUGS executives are going to determine which political
party wins the 2016 elections.
They have
been so disappointing to the extent that something as common as the sale of
Nomination Forms, these people could not do without the usual ugly noises and pandemonium.
My heartfelt sympathy goes to the aspirants who genuinely wish to serve the
Union but are now being compelled to bear the brunt of the “folly” of these
NUGS executives. First, we had two notices inviting for nominations, then two different
sets of nomination forms with different designs were sold. Even these aspirants
were confused as to where and how exactly to get the nomination forms. As if
that trauma was not enough, they were also slapped with another disservice regarding
who to submit their Forms to after filling. How unfair!
On behalf of
the ordinary member of NUGS, let me ask the following questions which are very germane
under the circumstances and proceed to provide answers where necessary based on
the established conventions; (1) Since when has it become the duty of any NUGS
executive to physically sell Nomination Forms to aspirants? Answers: Nomination
Forms are supposed to be downloaded online and payment made into the NUGS
account. The NUGS CS often designs these Forms and upload same online) (2) Since
when has it become the duty of NUGS CS to receive completed Nomination Forms from
aspirants? Answers: These Forms are supposed to be submitted to either the NUGS
FC or Treasurer together with the payment vouchers or receipts. The Forms are then
submitted to the Vetting Committee as early as possible. (3) Since when has it
become the duty of the NUGS CS to publish the names of candidates who have
successfully filed their nominations? Answers: it is the sole responsibility of
the Vetting Committee to do that after receiving the Forms from the FC/Treasurer.
Let me zero
in on what has happened and suggest a way forward. Some aspirants erroneously
submitted their Forms to the NUGS CS, who then assumed the role of the vetting
committee by publishing these names. A lot of them contend that when they went
to the NUGS Secretariat on the last day, he was the only executive available at
the time and so, they had no option especially because he (the CS) personally
requested for the Forms and promised to submit same to the relevant officers. Others,
of course, submitted their Forms to the right persons which eventually got to
the right destination (ie vetting committee). One would expect the committee to
consolidate all the Forms that were submitted to the Treasurer/FC and CS before
inviting the aspirants for vetting but this simple thing wasn’t done. You can’t
punish aspirants because of your own internal wrangling and power-play. Every court
in this World would surely vindicate the rights of these aspirants if they
decided to seek redress. I am happy the committee has now decided to RIGHT the wrongs.
My last words
to the NUGS president, the rest of the executives and indeed to all the stakeholders
of NUGS are that, people are looking for an opportunity to divide NUGS so that
we have two sets of executives as was the case a few years ago. This move has nothing
to do with partisanship but people’s ego and desire to get what they want at
all costs and without regard to the consequences of their reprehensible
actions. Need I have to remind you that it took several sacrifices from some of
our compatriots to unite NUGS again after that infamous division which took
away the shine associated with student activism? As a matter of fact, somebody
had to pay the ultimate price in this struggle with his life.
We can’t go
back to these old dark days. We must all realize that life does not begin and
end with NUGS. In fact, there is a better life after NUGS once one is able to
serve well when giving the mandate. We don’t have to allow these “enemies of
NUGS” to get away with their diabolic agenda to destroy our student front and
make us suffer unduly. Let’s unite and put them to shame. These NUGS executives
must necessarily handover a united NUGS as they inherited, else their conscience
will never forgive them. None of the NUGS presidential aspirants would want to
lead a divided NUGS, which would surely be met with complete media blackout,
among other debilitating repercussions. Once again, the nonsense must stop and
NOW…
Assalamu alaikum
IDDI
MUHAYU-DEEN
Former
NUGS Secretary
Student
Activist
(0245335197)
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