We, GETFund Sponsored Students currently studying energy and petroleum related programs in various universities in the United Kingdom (UK), wish to convey our disappointment at GETFund and other stakeholders of Education for failure to ensure that our living allowances are paid promptly despite our outcry for urgent support.
At the point of leaving the country for our studies in the UK, they (GETFund) promised to pay our living allowances upon our arrival. However, it is about six months now � since September 2012, and we have not received our stipends.
The most disheartening thing is the fact that GETFund has confirmed receipt of money from Ministry of Finance purposely for payment of our living allowances over four weeks now (since February 6, 2013), yet our financial quandary is still lingering. Besides, we were assured by the Public Relations Manager of GETFund, through Citi News, that Fidelity Bank would �wire the money� to us in the ensuing week but that has proven to be a deception.
Their failure to �wire� us the money as promised has even further aggravated our situation since we relied on that promise to renegotiate strictly binding agreements with our respective accommodation facilities managers. Our inability to redeem our promise per our renegotiated terms has created suspicion about the credibility of GETFund in the minds of our landlords.
Our accommodation is a nightmare as we are unable to sleep over the copious threats of legal action and/or possible eviction from our rooms due to unpaid overdue rent charges. We have exhausted all chances to renegotiate for further extension of date for payment since we have virtually lost the moral and legal credibility to propose further extensions.
As far as our current survival and accommodation are concerned, we are sitting on a time-bomb with our fate dangling like pendulum, since our hostel facility managers have forwarded our files to their legal department for court processing leading to legal action and possible eviction from our rooms. Some of our colleagues have already been evicted from their rooms in some universities and currently living under the mercy of their friends who are also awaiting their eviction soon.
We are presently overstretched financially to our limits. Going for lectures is now unthinkable as we can hardly concentrate given our lingering financial predicament. We are now at the crossroads where boycotting our lectures in search for menial jobs for survival is inevitable, but the question is how to even find the jobs???
It is lamentable that our several outcries for urgent intervention has been reduced to �political ball� in the country whiles GETFund and other stakeholders of youth and education have resorted to perpetual �culture of silence� as we continue to languish in pain and despondency in a foreign land.
We wish to humbly call on the president, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, to promptly salvage the situation.
Thank you.
Tahiru A. Hakeem, University of Dundee
Ghanaian International Students (GETFund Sponsored) UK
Bradford Univ
Below is another letter from a Ghanaian student in Bradford University and series of communiqu�s that peacefmonline.com stumbled upon, dispatched on 15th Jan and 6th February 2013 from the Bradford University authorities, to one of the students.
The Administrator
Ghana Educational Trust Fund (GETFund)
P.O.Box MB 254
Accra,
Dear Sir,
PETITION (NON-PAYMENT OF TUITION FEES AND LIVING ALLOWANCE, STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORD, UK)
I the undersigned, a student and on behalf of GETFund Sponsored Students at the University of Bradford wish to inform you that the University is demanding for our TUITION FEES for the 2012/2013 academic year.
The University have decided to drive the GETFund sponsored students from attending lectures this semester (second semester). The University noted that it issued an INVOICE on 23rd October, 2012 but our fees have not been paid to date. Secondly, school noted that GETFund have failed to respond to their demand notice/letters and fax and emails sent out.
On behalf of the entire students, I am hereby appealing to H.E. President John Mahama to intervene because all our appeals to both GETFund and the Ghana High Commissioner have proved futile. Finally, please we are in financial difficulties because our living allowance has also not been paid to date. Some of the student received �2000 as part payment of their living allowance before their departure with the promise that the remaining �7600 will be transferred to them upon arrival at University; whiles those who are yet to be paid are expecting a total �9600 as their living allowance.
Moreover, the Full Tuition Fees are yet to be paid by GETFund. We appealed to the High Commissioner and the Minister Counsellor-Education in UK to intervene, but the University wrote to us today (25/02/2013), saying they have neither received our fees nor heard from the Embassy/GETFund. All our hope is darted; as a result we are appealing to you to use your medium to channel our petition to the H.E. President John Mahama and the Minister of Education to come to our aid.
We are in crisis, some students have been ejected from their hostels, no money to live on now. The last straw that broke the camel�s back is that, the University of Bradford has decided to suspend our link/accounts with school with effect from tomorrow. As a result, from Tuesday 26th all the 11 students will be unable to neither attend lectures nor access library facility/website on or off campus. A number too have exams and assignments to submit for this week, so if the University terminate our links/account, then its means we cannot use our student ID card to attend lectures, access library and other facilities on campus.
The money to pay for our rent this week is really a problem, should Government fails to address our needs.
Find the attached a copy of email sent to all the students.
We hope our appeal would be given the needed consideration
Yours faithfully
��������
Students of University of Bradford, UK
Cc: The High Commissioner
Ghana High Commission
13 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8PS
United Kingdom.
Minister Counsellor � Education
Ghana High Commission
UK.
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From: R HAND [[email protected]]
Sent: 15 January 2013 17:06
To: AMBROSE AMENSHIAH
Subject: Outstanding Tuition Fees
Dear Ambrose,
It has come to my attention that your tuition fees have not been paid by your sponsor,Ghana Education Trust Fund. They were issued an invoice on 23rd October 2012 but this has not been paid to date.
As they have failed to respond to my letters and faxes I suggest that you contact your sponsor to request payment so there is no adverse affect on your studies.
If they are no longer sponsoring you then please advise me immediately. If you would like to discuss the matter please come to see a member of the financial management team in the Hub.
Thanks,
Rob Hand
The Hub - Student Administration and Support
Richmond Building
University of Bradford
Bradford
BD7 1DP
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From: [email protected] [[email protected]]
Sent: 06 February 2013 12:07
To: AMBROSE AMENSHIAH
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Overdue Account - Urgent Action Required
UB No: 11001646
Dear Ambrose,
I notice that we have yet to receive full payment of your tuition fees from your sponsor. As we are now in the second semester I must request that your sponsor brings your account up to date by 21 February 2013 or your university services will be suspended.
Please request your sponsor to give this their most urgent attention
Robert Hand
The Hub - Student Administration and Support
Tel: 01274 235200
University of Bradford
West Yorkshire
Bradford
BD7 1DP
UK.
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Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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