Some students have expressed their views on the estimated budget proposed to run the Students Representative Council (SRC) elections by the Council’s Electoral Commissioner.
This follows the rejection of the budget by the Dean of Student Affairs’, Prof. Rosina Kyerematen, who was of the stance that she “wouldn’t accept a budget six times larger than last year’s budget” for the SRC elections.
In an engagement with UniversNews, some students sided with the Dean, stating that the given estimation for the budget is too high, and hence the need for a reduction.
They suggested such amounts of funds to be used for developmental projects on the campus.
“I agree with the Dean of Students ;of course, the inflation is high though but I don’t think it should be six times last election budget. It should be like maybe two times. So I think they should do something about that.”
“You know, when we are drawing budgets, we watch on certain things before we draw budgets. The most important thing is that what do we need for a successful election? They can use it for any development projects in their school. After all, there is no money in the system. So I suggest they should reduce their money, use that to cater for brilliant but needy students.”
Other students sided with the SRC’s decision, as they remarked how inflation could have contributed to the estimation.
“I agree with the SRC because nowadays, inflation is high. People do things, arrangements, electoral, you know, commissioners, security and all those starts. When they come together, you have to be very expensive. You pay people, you know. So I think the SRC budget is okay and I support them.”
” I disagree with the Dean of Students because I feel like the students are going to cover the things they think they can do.”
The Electoral Commission of the University of Ghana Students Representative Council presented the Budget for the elections along with a Constitutional Instrument to hold the elections in online onsite mode to the General Assembly on 2nd, July, 2023.
Though the budget, consisting of Ghc 74k has been approved by the General Assembly, there have been various calls by stakeholders to reduce the amount in the budget.
