ISHMAEL TAKES OVER

Yirenkyi Opare-Akuffo

Ishmael Tweneboah-Kodua, a student of the University of Education, Kumasi Campus has been sworn-in as the 43^rd President of the National Union of Ghana Students. (NUGS)

The swearing-in took place during the NUGS handing-over ceremony which was held at the Sonat Court Hotel in East Legon here in Accra. The impressive ceremony was well attended by a lot of students across the length and breath of the country who were all eager to witness the solemn occasion.

Ishmael won the Presidency in a fiercely contested elections held at the University of Development Studies, Nyankpala Campus during the 42^nd annual delegates congress a month ago. He took over from Mr. Kweku Tuoho-Bombason. The other national officers sworn-in include Billy Jones Owusu, the General Secretary, Gabriel Adomako-the Financial Controller and Patrick Ayittah- the Coordinating Secretary. Also sworn-in are Daniel Thompson for the position of the Programs and Projects Secretary, Bahiratu Kamal as the Women’s Commissioner and Delali Pearce-Kporha sworn-in as the International Relations Officer. The rest are Banning Ahmed and Malik Abass Daabu sworn-in as Education and Democratization Secretary and Press & Information Secretary respectively. Simon Amanor, Kwaku Mensah John and Abdul Karim were also sworn-in by the new NUGS President to represent NUGS on the National Youth Council, GETFund and the All African Students Union respectively.

Mr. Kweku Tuoho-Bombason the out-gone NUGS President in his farewell speech paid a glowing tribute to the late Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu saying, the late Minister had been very supportive to his administration and NUGS in general.

Mr. Bombason said, the past NUGS year has been eventful, one carrying with it both memorable and regrettable ones. He said, “regrettable as some of those moments may be, they provided us with great learning opportunities that guided us in our resolve to ensure that the interests of our constituents were adequately protected”.

Mr. Bombason enumerated some of the successes chalked by his administration. He said, primary among them was the redefining of NUGS, which meant having a united student front capable of bargaining and lobbying strongly for its needs, a student front which will allow its internal structures to work, and one that will resolve its disputes without having to resort to media war thereby ridiculing its own leaders. He said it was through the hard work of his administration that NUGS now have a seven year strategic development plan that will serve as a blue print for the Union’s development, a new Constitution, and financial procedures manual to regulate the management of the Union’s finance.

Mr. Bombason said, it was under his leadership that NUGS got the international recognition that it deserved. He said, this was evident in the Union’s invitation and participation in a United Nations programme in the United States, a youth leadership programme at the Liverpool University in the United Kingdom, and Global University Network for Innovation –Africa programme in Nigeria. He also touched on the successful organization of the 42^nd National Delegates Congress which was recently held at the University for Development Studies on the theme; “Ensuring Peaceful, Free and Fair Election 2008; the Role of the Student”. He said all these and many more successes could not have been possible if not for teamwork and discipline on the part of national officers against the background that "I and my colleagues inherited a suspicious, image battered union", he said.

The out-gone NUGS President seized the opportunity to advise the in-coming national officers to make teamwork their habit, and to be wholly committed to the struggle for the students of Ghana. He reminded them of the need to leave above partisan politics as that some few years ago was the waterloo of the union but rather place the interest of the students of Ghana as their core business.

Mr. Bombason advised politicians to be more tolerant of each other and dissenting opinions, for he said, these are fundamental elements of a true democracy. He reiterated NUGS call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to put their hands on deck to ensure a successful election come December 7.

Ishmael Tweneboah-Kodua in his acceptance speech said, he and his colleagues are aware of the task ahead of them. He said moving the union forward in historic strides on her progressive path as the champion of students’ unity and freedom shall be a non-negotiable agenda. “Fellow students, he said, to respond is positive but to react is negative and so NUGS under my tutelage will not be a reactionary organization and will not take adhoc decisions.

Mr. Tweneboah-Kodua said, “the unprecedented overwhelming endorsement I received from students across Ghana at Nyankpala during our congress speaks volumes of the level of confidence my colleagues have in me. I cannot betray that trust and confidence reposed in me as well as my colleagues”.

He called on all other stakeholders to partner his administration because every support extended to us will be applied only to the benefit of the Ghanaian student in particular and Ghanaians in general. He said.

The Chairman for the occasion, Professor Nana Steve Sobotie advised the new executives to live above reproach and let their lives reflect their new responsibilities. He said they should first and foremost remember that they are students, and must therefore combine effectively their new roles as student leaders and their academic work. He said there is the need for them to change a lot of things about them especially the way they talk and relate to people.