Students Petition BNI …over alleged extortion, thievery @ UEW-K Campus

  From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Kumasi Students of the University of Education, Winneba-Kumasi campus (UEW-K) have petitioned the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) over alleged extortion and thievery by the accounts personnel, in connivance with the varsity authorities. The students have described the move as a blatant attempt to dupe them. Information available to The Chronicle has it […]

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From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Kumasi

Students of the University of Education, Winneba-Kumasi campus (UEW-K) have petitioned the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) over alleged extortion and thievery by the accounts personnel, in connivance with the varsity authorities.
The students have described the move as a blatant attempt to dupe them.
Information available to The Chronicle has it that students of UEW-K have expressed worry about a draconian law forcing them to pay GH¢50 and GH¢10 respectively, before they can register for courses for the second semester, which they see as a blatant attempt to dupe them and put them on the wheels of stringent financial exploitation, hence the call for the investigation.
Under the circumstance, they have invoked the powers of the Bureau of the National Investigations, with regards to illegal charges currently being perpetrated by the management of the school, for investigation.
A petition, signed by the Executive Students Association (ESA) Council Attorney, Eric Dawda, and local President of National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Eric Dumenu Akatsi, and copied to The Chronicle, indicated that students are not happy with unlawful levies currently being instigated by the management of the university of Education Winneba-Kumasi campus.
They explained that last semester, student leaders had an agreement with management to allow students, who were facing financial difficulties in making full payment for registration, to be allowed to make part payment and settle the rest later, which the university itself described as           a “flexible” payment plan

This is in line with the vision of equitable access to education by all Ghanaians, irrespective of economic class.
It said, management agreed with the student leaders and directed the leaders to inform the general student body about this payment plan.
The students hold the view that the disregard of the plan is meant to dupe the students, and is being perpetuated by the Deputy Finance Officer of the school.
According to the students, the situation does not persist on other campuses of the University like, Winneba, Mampong and Ajumako, adding that the university cleared students who made payment in the first semester with a chit.

But the students went to register this semester only to realise that they were to pay GH¢10 for the chit they used to register last semester, which most of them threw away, since they were already cleared. This act has been described as pure thievery and extortion by the students.
According to the petition, students who could not pay their fees in full last semester were asked to write an application through their heads of department to the college finance office for onward approval, before registering, which was adhered to accordingly.
Messrs Dawda and Dumenu, however, revealed that a week after resumption, registration for this semester was opened for students to go through the exercise of registering for their respective courses, but the students were ambushed, as officers for the registration demanded an amount of GH¢50 from students who made part payment last semester.
The petition noted: “This prompted students who were affected to raise alarm on this alien policy by the university.”
The petition noted: “Student leaders who were not happy with these happenings went to management to see how this draconian policy could be settled amicably, and perhaps, to make sure it is set aside, but unfortunately, management rejected their move and made it clear to them that they are not ready to rescind their decision.”
The signatories further told the BNI that as of now, students have been forced to pay the GH¢50 and GH¢10 before they can register courses for the second semester, without any notice from management, yet the students are compelled to pay monies that have never been agreed upon.
They further chastised the school for charging illegal fees of GH¢10 before the students could register.

 

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