The 57th Annual Delegates Congress of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) concluded in upheaval last weekend at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), as the election for new leadership was marred by violence and disputes.
The situation escalated when an unexpected power outage interrupted the vote-counting process, leading to allegations of misconduct.
Although the lights were still functioning in the surrounding area, delegates voiced their frustration over what they viewed as an effort to manipulate the election in favor of one presidential candidate, resulting in intense protests among the attendees.
In an effort to address the unrest, candidates were allowed to determine the next steps. A slim majority of 13 delegates voted to cancel the congress and hold an emergency session, while 12 opted to count the votes already cast.
Ultimately, NUGS President Kyeremeh Oppong Daniel announced the official cancellation of the congress and the plan to reconvene at a later date.
In his speech to the delegates, President Daniel reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring a fair electoral process.
“I am determined to uphold justice in this election. I will persist in advocating for what is right. The ballot papers are available; we can either count them or proceed with an emergency congress.”
He also reminded the delegates that, according to NUGS regulations, only the president holds the authority to cancel a congress and establish a new date.
Watch Moments Of What Happened Below:
A student voiced this out and I'll like to share:
Do You Think the Youth Will Succeed (do well) in Leadership?
It’s heartbreaking to see the youth, who are supposed to be our future, struggling so much. People often say they care about young people, yet we witness them harming themselves.
Three years ago, someone pointed out, “If you think the youth will do well in leadership, just look at your SRC president.” I’d like to rephrase that: “If you think the youth will thrive in leadership, observe the student unions.”
When the very students we envision as future leaders are behaving this way, it feels like our future is bleeding. In fact, it seems almost lifeless with such attitudes. These are the same students who preach about keeping education free from politics, yet they choose their leaders based on political affiliations.
I wasn’t present at the USAG congress, but I heard nothing productive came from it. All the time, money, and energy invested seemed wasted when the elections were postponed indefinitely.
A similar situation occurred at the NUGS congress. The elections, which were supposed to start at 8:00 AM and end at 5:00 PM, didn’t even begin until 4:30 PM. Delegates were left in the dark about the reasons for the delay. While aspirants might have been informed, why didn’t the Electoral Commission communicate with all delegates? What might be the cause of the delay? Delegates began asking the leadership questions but weren't getting answers.
During the voting process at GNAT village, the lights went out at 1:56 AM, while nearby buildings were still lit. Many delegates waited for over 30 minutes to vote but eventually gave up and went to bed. Was this just a coincidence, or was something more behind it?
It’s natural to support or have an interest in one person’s success, but that shouldn’t be said or so obvious of a student leader who serve several parties. What happened at GNAT village reflects on all of us; we allowed ourselves to be manipulated. It is no one's fault but us.
I often hear people say that the existing system cannot be changed and that trying to do so will lead to failure. But I wonder, if we preach change, why do we accept that nothing can be done to improve or change the system? Are we fooling ourselves by using “change” as a stepping stone only to conform later?
If we, as youth, especially students, carry this mindset, how can we blame our elders (fathers and uncles at the top) for not serving the country well? Perhaps they too have adapted to the system.
Given what’s happening in various student unions, can the youth truly excel or do well in leadership? If so, what gives us that confidence? The future feels daunting because we are the same individuals climbing the political ladder.
Do you believe or think, the youth can succeed in leadership?
This is a conversation worth having. 😊
I commend TTAG.✌🏽👊🏼🫡
Think about it and ask yourself...."Are student leaderships going down the drain too?".
