National Union Of Ghana Students Press Release
July 24, 2026
Transcript
The Standard
March 26, 1978
PREAMBLE
IN line with avowed aims of the NUGS as the official mouthpiece of always strive to make effective contribution to national debate. Every Ghanaian has a stake in our “One Nation, One People with One Destiny Only a selfish Ghanaian would see the problems of a nation in crisis and yet feign their existence. Students of this country shall strive to ensure that the unique destiny of all Ghanaians turns out to be a pleasant one.
As an integral part of society and having been pushed by the realities of the situation to speak for the workers and peasants whose present suffering is untold, the bitter truth of today comes out clearly: students cannot live in isolation. Hence guided by this belief, a conscience untrammelled upon and so strong to resist political pollution, the NUGS finds it pertinent to speak the students mind on certain crucial national issues.
CLARIFICATION ON THE ‘YES’ AND NO REFERENDUM MARCH
It is clearly apparent that certain contradictory questions will have to be answered by the government and the Electoral Commissioner before the referendum on March 30th. All along, the issue has been Union Government ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ your vote must decide. The NUGS feels strongly that two things should be made clear before the referendum day.
WHAT DOES ‘NO’ MEAN?
TO a lot of people, a ‘No’ vote does not only mean a rejection of the Union Government concept but in fact an equivocal vote of NO CONFIDENCE in the government. To some others, a ‘No’ would mean only no Union Government but will not correspondingly affect the government’s popularity in any way and could thus stay on since the option to Union Gov Government, Party Politics, is something the government has sworn never to allow in Ghana. (Ref. what a member of the SMC said recently, “The achievements of the SMC cannot be sacrificed on the altar of Party Politics”)
The NUGS is of the opinion that these are questions open to different interpretations and the we given the RETE clarifications are the better if we are to avoid any future confusion,
WHAT DOES THE ‘YES’ MEAN?
The Ad Hoc Committee Report on Union Government has stated categorically that the people of Ghana are opposed to direct military participation in any future government. The Committee’s report, paragraph 302 says” The weight of the evidence certainly DID NOT SUPPORT ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF THE FORCES.” (Caps Ours). Yet here we are in a situation still being cajoled and under persistent harangues from official angles that the opposite ie. direct Army and Police participation is what Union Government means.
So will that part of the Electorate who will opt for the ‘Yes’ be voting for the Koranteng-Addow’s version of the Union Gov Government or the government’s version of it? Let us have official clarification of this because the issues involved should not be left for tomorrow.
DISRUPTION OF REFERENDUM:
It has been often stated and rumoured that the students of Ghana are conspiring to disrupt the Referendum on March 30th. THE NUGS WOULD LIKE TO STATE CATEGORICALLY TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY THAT IT HAS NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER TO DISRUPT THE PENDING REFERENDUM. The NUGS does not believe in subversion to encourage subversion.
Further the NUGS has information that thousands of T-shirts bearing names of Universities, Halls of Residence and other institutions of higher learning, are being printed. One cannot say for sure what use these T-shirts will be put to but the NUGS smells something foul in the air. Indeed we will not be surprised if some unscrupulous people appear in the shirts on the D’day and destroy everything for students to shoulder the blame. Let us keep note of this.
The NUGS believes that the greatest threat to the safe conduct of the Referendum will come from those who have assumed it upon themselves to physically attack people who do not share a particular stand with them on the Union Government idea. It will indeed be appropriate for the government to smoke out whoever organises these ‘thugs’ by enacting a special legislation on it. Such organised groups who have so far caused so much havoc can organise anything on March 30 and they should be watched. We believe the government will once again demonstrate its ability to ensure a genuine Referendum. We SHOULD ALL TAKE HEED
THE FREE CIRCULATION OF SYMBOLS: While Helicopters are used to drop “Yes’ symbols to crowds, any person who is found holding a ‘No’ symbol and detained. A student of UCC has been arrested in the Brong Ahafo region and his whereabouts is not known up to this date. The government should come out boldly and clarify since it is the police (ignorantly may be) who have been making the arrests.
INFILTRATION INTO STUDENT RANKS: Since May 13th, 1977, serious attempts have been made to infiltrate into the ranks of students particularly within the leadership with the view of breaking our front and thereby rendering the student movement impotent.
The NUGS recalls the attempt made from certain high circles to sponsor candidates for SRC and NUGS elections in all the campuses. In the University of Cape Coast this carefully worked out plan leaked out and the people involved were brought to book.
Just after January 13th this year which students declared “Ghana’s Day of Shame” similar attempts were again made to form a splinter group of students which was to itself, NUGS “pure.” This attempt was spearheaded by two gentlemen both purported to be working at the Castle. These two men attempted to recruit certain students of the University of Ghana resident in Akuafo Hall. This plot was also uncovered by the always vigilant students of Legon and so in the bud. The two nipped in gentlemen undaunted by this leakage went to Acera Polytechnic on February 7, 1978 and met Mr. . Arthur Kaye who, principled as he is, demonstrated that steadfastness which has been the of our present struggle, reported the matter to the students of Accra Polytechnic. As a result of these leakages the appointment booked by the said gentlemen to meet Messrs G. Arthur-Kaye (SRC Secretary) and Kwesi Secredah Tweneboah-Kodua (Legal adviser) at Palm Inn of Ambassador Hotel at 2.00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8. 1978 was rejected students and the matter duly rejected by the reported to the Student Intelligence Bureau of Legon in a release dated by signed by the Secretary of the SRC. Mr. G. Arthur-Kaye.
All attempts to form the rival student movement was therefore in the bud and so a scheduled press conference which was to take place at State House on the February 10, 1978, to announce the birth of a so-called NUGS PURE” with the connivance of certain high-powered circles was called off.
The NUGS has been constantly aware of how unrepresenting these infiltrators have been even when they have always been found out. The NUGS, in particular, wishes to inform the public that the supposed ‘demonstration demanding “the immediate resignation of the SRC and leadership of the JCRs, SRCs, and NUGS” (Daily Graphic, March 6, 1978) are only one of the many monkey tricks meant to breed rancour, bitterness, divisionism, acrimony and animosity. We wish to assure all Ghanaians that the student movement is as solid as ever and that they should treat such tricks with the contempt that it deserves.
Investigations have revealed that the so-called Progressive student Force contains within it only Five students of Legon who led the group rif-raffs drawn from the Okonglo village. The students of course shared a huge sum of money and are now known to have been given foreign scholarships in addition. The NUGS however wishes to place on record that it is extremely happy that for the first time since 1974 “University” students have been able to hold a “demonstration” in a town like Accra with full Police protection and were thus spared the normal physical assault. We believe this marks a turning point in our relations with the Police and that at any time students anywhere go on a demonstration they will enjoy similar treatment.
We assure whoever wishes to attempt further infiltration within the movement that we shall continuously expose such people. Further, the NUGS calls on such persons to acquaint themselves with the fact that people will cash in on the present confrontation because they believe that there is much financial gain in it. In the final analysis they end up achieving nothing but ridiculing themselves and whoever must have been behind them. Our policy has been that of POSITIVE NEUTRALISM and it is what goals the NUGS from STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.
To the people of Ghana our simple message is that at this crucial stage of our history we cannot look back, we must look ahead Forwards Ever. Backwards Never. On March 30, every qualified voter must be there to make his choice. The confidence must be there that NO ONE can challenge you as to the choice you make. It is a chance either to make or unmake the country. Power to you.
Long Live Student Unity!
Aluta Continua!
Victory is Certain.
(SIGNED) KOFI TOTOBI QUAKYI
NATIONAL PRESIDENT.
