REFUND ILLEGAL LEVIES FRESH MEN AND WOEN..S-Poly Student leaders direct (PAGE 11, OCT 1, 2010)

THE authorities at the Sunyani Polytechnic (S-Poly) in the Brong Ahafo Region, have directed leaders of all students associations who have levied freshmen and women for matriculation pictures and compulsory payment for ties and vests to refund such monies since the act was illegal.
The authorities, therefore, asked students who did not receive their monies from the associations to report to the Assistant Registrar (Academic) for redress’.
The concerns of the authorities were expressed by the Rector of S-Poly, Professor Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, who was delivering a speech at the 14th matriculation ceremony and his last address as Rector of the polytechnic.
Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah was concerned about the manner in which some unscrupulous student leaders of the institution had devised illegal means to extort monies from freshmen and fresh women and, therefore, directed that ‘‘all the associations that have collected monies from freshmen and women for items not listed by the polytechnic must refund them immediately”.
The outgoing rector also warned that ‘‘ponding’’of students was a major offence at the Polytechnic, saying that, ‘‘students who engaged in this act, will be dismissed from the Polytechnic. You are, therefore, warned to desist from such acts; for, “a word to the wise is enough’’.
Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah disclosed that, since the establishment of the institution in 1997, the Polytechnic had grown from strength to strength and explained that, currently, its had three schools namely, School of Applied Sciences and Technology, School of Business and Management Studies as well as School of Engineering.
He said currently the Polytechnic ran 12 full-time tertiary programmes, including one Bachelor of Theology, seven Higher National Diploma (HND) and five Technicians Programme, adding that, the institution admitted students into eight professional programmes at the tertiary level and 26 Technicians and Craft courses.
The rector disclosed that, in line with its focus and mission, S-Poly is now running the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) in building, and that, the first and second batches of the B. Tech students, who were admitted in March and October, 2008, had completed their programmes with very impressive performances.
According to Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah, accreditation had also been sought for additional B.Tech and HND programmes from the National Accreditation Board (NAB), saying that, in running those programmes, the Polytechnic would remain focused in providing hands-on, demand driven training for the industrial transformation of the country.
The rector said discipline was the bedrock of every developed nation and if Ghana could catch up with the developed world, then the people ought to show a high sense of discipline, pointing out that, S-Poly would, therefore, protect and support students who were humane, respectful and law-abiding.
‘‘I urge you all to avoid alcoholism, drug-abuse, absenteeism and sexual promiscuity. Be time conscious and concentrate on your studies, which are the core objectives of your admission into the polytechnic’’, Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah advised.
Mr Samuel Ankamah Obour, the Registrar of the Polytechnic, administered the Matriculation Oath.