GUPS HANDING-OVER

The Minister of Education, Mr. Alex Tettey-Enyo has urged student leaders to view their calls to duty as an opportunity to work relentlessly by partnering the government in the quest to make professional as well as tertiary education affordable and accessible.

This he said would help improve professional tertiary education in the country.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Mr. Paul Kofi Krampah at the 7th handing-over and swearing-in ceremony of the Ghana Union of Professional Students (GUPS) in Accra.

“As executives of a union which brings together students of twenty public and private professional and degree awarding institutions in the country, you no doubt have an enormous task in forging and maintaining a clear focus as a strategic stake-holder in tertiary education,” Mr. Tettey-Enyo stated.

He however congratulated the new executives and also indicated that the doors of the ministry was always opened for constructive suggestions from all its stakeholders, in the search for realistic alternatives under the expanding demands on the national purse.

Also, the out-going president of GUPS, Mr. Anthony Abosti Afriyie said the challenge of the youth, universally; to take over from the current generation within the next decade dictated the rapid acquisition of education of education and training especially in the areas of leadership and management.

This he said would be attained through hard work as well as dedication to maker the student front an indispensable factor in the nation-building process, “and as professionals, we need to solidify our status and influence in the affairs of students of this nation,” Mr. Afriyie added.

He also outlined some of the achievements under his leadership which among others included, championing women empowerment where by female appointees formed a third of the government machinery.

Also Mr. Afriyie noted that a Press and Information department was established to harness journalistic expertise.

For his part, the in-coming president of GUPS, Mr. Michael Docyor Yomoh, noted that, although members of the fraternity seemed to have lost faith, “we have started fervently and by the time we hand over next year, we will all have the cause to be proud as members of GUPS,” he said.

Mr. Yomoh also said that his team would build a media-friendly union in addition to inter-personal marketing of the union.

He therefore called on all institutions to pay their dues and contribute towards the programmes and project of GUPS.

The GUPS president also appealed to the Ministry of Education as well as other professional bodies to support them.

“I would also appeal to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to consider students as a major interest group in matters relating to students and education in the country,” Mr. Yomoh.

The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lezorkuku constituency, Mr. Ruben Nii Nortey-Duah congratulated the new executives and also advised them to be up and doing in their various positions in order to move active students participation to the next level for the development of the country.