The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga has moved a motion to request the President, Nana Akufo-Addo to suspend the payment of fees by new entrants into public tertiary education institutions and fees of continuing students of those institutions for the year 2020/2021 academic year.
According to the MP for Bawku Central the suspension of the fees should form part of the National COVID-19 relief programs being implemented by the Government.
He was of the view that because of Covid-19, many jobs have been lost and the banking sector clean up is no exception.
He moved the motion as part of Private Members Bill which was passed in the House during the later part of the Seventh Parliament.
The motion was captured on the Order Paper for today Wednesday 20th January and read as follows “That this House resolves to request the President of the Republic of Ghana to take urgent steps to suspend the payment of fees by new entrants into public tertiary education institutions and continuing students of those institutions for the 2020/2021 academic year as part of the National COVID-19 relief programmes being implemented by Government”
The motion was however challenged by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Majority Caucus of the House, describing it as incompetent.
They argued that the motion was not properly presented to the House therefore it should be rejected.
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Speaker Bagbin however ruled that, the motion was properly laid and admitted it as competent and relevant since schools have reopened and payment of fees could be a challenge to some parents and students .
The Rt. Hon. Speaker subsequently suspended debate on the motion and scheduled it for tomorrow.