Napo urges NUGS to be cautious of political partisanship creeping into their ranks

Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh(Napo), the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) vice presidential candidate, has urged student leaders to prevent political infiltration inside their ranks.

Speaking on Saturday, September 21, at the 57th National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) Delegates Congress opening ceremony at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Opoku Prempeh, also known as “Napo,” stated that such a circumstance can compromise the goals and integrity of student organizations.

Thinking back to his days as the Minister of Education, he described a period when conflict characterized student leadership, especially when he was the Minister of Education and there were two rival NUGS presidents, one from the NDC and the other from the NPP.

Instead of turning the leadership into a political instrument, he challenged them to promote an inclusive and cooperative culture.

“I believe any government worth its salt should engage with key stakeholders who aren’t necessarily aligned with their political party. One such crucial body is NUGS, and that’s why I worked to ensure reconciliation between the two factions. NUGS plays a vital role in championing quality education and upholding integrity in our country”, he explained.

“Even at the level of NUGS we should show leadership. Leadership with a conscience. Leadership in aspiring for the country and what the current leaders cannot do”, he continued.

In addition, the former minister of energy reiterated his demand that political parties unite against illicit mining operations by signing an anti-galamsey pact. He emphasized that in order to combat the threat, cooperation from politicians of all stripes is needed to put laws into place and enforce existing ones.

“Depoliticizing education and upholding integrity; the role of stakeholders for national development” was the theme of this event. Delegates attending the congress will choose new officers to run the largest student union in the nation.

Daniel Oppong Kyeremeh, president of NUGS, highlighted the organization’s noteworthy achievements in closing the divide between students and the nation’s decision-makers.

He listed the union’s accomplishments in making sure that students’ opinions are heard and taken into consideration when making important national decisions.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com