NUGS President Commends Govt For Releasing Funds To Settle Outstanding Student Loans And Teacher Trainee Allowances
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education with NUGS President, Daniel Oppong Kyeremeh at a recent event
President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Daniel Oppong Kyeremeh has commended government for releasing of GHC25 million to settle outstanding student loans.
The government has also cleared payment for 58,617 teacher trainees.
Addressing a follow-up press conference by the student body, Mr Kyeremeh said the decision by government was a good one.
The union over the weeks has been calling on the government to expedite payment for outstanding loans for students and allowances for teacher trainees.
Details
However, speaking at the conference on Friday, 31 May, expressed appreciation to government for fast tracking the payment of student loans and teacher trainee allowances.
“As a result of the advocacies we had, the student loan trust fund, (SLTF) through the Minister for Education today after the interview is disbursing GHC5 million Ghana to the account of beneficiaries immediately after this particular press conference”, the NUGS President noted.
He added that, “the remaining GHC20 million will be disbursed exactly two weeks from today, 14 June 2024”.
Education Minister’s Efforts:
He added that, “thanks to the diligent efforts by the minister for Education even students who submitted their forms yesterday will receive their disbursement”, he stressed.
NUGS Role:
“This is a great achievement for the Ghana National Union of Ghana Students and we commend the media, the Minister for Education and the government for playing pivotal roles in what we seen today”, Kyeremeh posited
He stated that, today all Ghanaian students who found themselves on the student loan trust fund, could now get into their accounts and start withdrawing funds for their fees
“So far, a total of 58,617 teacher trainees have been cleared for payment. We call on all principals who have not yet forwarded the data of their students to do so promptly to ensure clearance and payment.
He intimated that, “we have been assured that GHC27 million is ready to settle the first two months of the four-month arrears on Monday, 3rd June, 2024. The remaining two months will follow subsequently”.
Appeal:
Mr Kyeremeh further appealed to the Scholarship Secretariat to urgently address the delay in the payment of stipends of Ghanaian students on government scholarships abroad.
“As a matter of urgency, we want to send this clear information out there to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the office of the Chief of Staff, to the Scholarship Secretariat to also expedite plans to quickly pay students in the diaspora whose stipend has not been paid”, the President urged.
He added that, “NUGS will work tirelessly to ensure that such delays do not occur in the future and will continue to advocate for timely interventions,”.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Michael Ofosu-Afriyie, Kumasi.
