The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has written to the Speaker of Parliament to move a motion that will suspend the payment of fees for fresh and continuing students in tertiary institutions in the country for the 2021 academic year.
“That this House Resolves to request the President of the Republic of Ghana to take urgent steps to suspend the payment of admission fees by new entrants into public tertiary education institutions and continuing students of those institutions for the 2021 academic year as part of the national COVID relief programmes being implemented by Government”, he stated in the letter.
In his petition, the MP is seeking prior legislative approval pursuant to Order 50 (1) to have the fees halted as a result of the ravaging impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Mr. Ayariga disclosed the action has become necessary in the face of Covid-19 which had led to loss of jobs and economic instability laying dire financial implications on students and parents thus, wants the matter to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
“The urgency of this matter is dictated by the fact that public tertiary institutions are reopening now and students who have been offered admission are requested to make payments before they are admitted and will loose the opportunity if they do not pay. Continuing students must also pay.
“This is important to the public because many people have lost their lobs due to the economic consequences of the outbreak of COVID 19, which has necessitated government granting subsidies in the provision of water and electricity”.
The legislator recommended that student bursaries will only kick in to support students only after they have been able to pay admission fees and entered the universities.
Mahama Ayariga is therefore demanding that the Speaker grants the motion to have the payment of fees put on hold in order to ease the financial obligations of parents asserting that “Order 50 (3) – The application of the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Instrument, 2019 (LI 2386), being a financial legislation, can only be suspended by an amendment introduced on behalf of the President”.
