The Coalition of University Students has called on the government to heed calls by the flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, to negotiate with the telcos to reduce the cost of internet data and airtime for students and customers in general in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.
Mr Mahama asked the government of Ghana to reach some agreement with the telecom companies which would result in the cutting of the cost of internet during the COVID-19 crisis.
While presenting some food items meant for distribution to vulnerable households in locked-down areas such as Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa, Mr Mahama said it was imperative for the government to ensure that the cost of internet falls since a lot of people are working from home while students are also accessing lectures and education resources online.
“At this point, the government has not yet addressed the need to negotiate with the telcos for a reduction in their tariffs to benefit the millions spending longer hours online and making calls”, he said.
“As I speak, several students and pupils are having lectures and school sessions online because of the Coronavirus disease.
“This has drastically increased their expenditure on internet usage to the extent that some can no longer cope. Indeed, there have been reports of several students who are unable to complete online lectures before their 'data' run out. Several people are also working from home.
“Due to these pressing needs, I wish to bring the issue of cost of internet and voice services back as another priority policy agenda.
“I have already suggested that the government can assure the telcos of a free six-month extension of licences – some of which are to expire very soon. This value can be applied to cushion consumers during this 3-month period”, Mr Mahama noted.
Additionally, he suggested “the telcos can also be compensated with funds from the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC), which already has the mandate to ensure universal access to telecommunication”.
Adding their voice to Mr Mahama’s call, the students’ coalition on Thursday, 16 April 2020, said the “call could not have come at any better time”, as the deadly virus has compelled students to undertake lectures online while at home, reiterating that “this has greatly increased the hours we spend on the internet and its accompanying high cost.”
The coalition, however, commended the “government and the African Business Centre for Development Education, ABCDE, for introducing the eCampus platform to engage Senior High School students following the closure of schools, and wish to add that this can only be sustained if students are provided with free internet data.”
It continued that: “E-learning platforms such as Zoom, Google Classroom, etc., are very much data-consuming, and we, as a result of being dependents, put extra financial burden on our parents and guardians.
“We are all for continuity of academic activities in these COVID-19 times; E-learning has come in handy”, the statement added.
It further continued that: “As suggested by former President Mahama, we encourage the government to take immediate steps and arrange with the telcos for a reduction in their tariffs. This will allow students’ continuous access to online learning without difficulty.”
“It is our unshaken hope that the government will heed” Mr Mahama’s “advocacy for a suppression in call rates and data charges, as part of its COVID-19 freebies.”
Source: classfmonline.com
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Please o.. who are these faceless students without a single name or representative?? Fake made-up reportage
Oh Mahama Use some of the Bribe Money from Saeed the Egyptian Contractor that paid millions of Dollars bribe to you and your cronies in the construction of the hospitals Deny this if I am lying Kronfou
It is this same Mahama who cancelled nurses and teacher trainees allowance and used the money for 2016 election campaign. Today he is pretending and you guys can't see through it. NDC will reduce everything to politics. Ghana government is doing very well in this pandemic. Data is not a necessity at this time. Mahama has no message hence his desperation to be heard.
I just wonder why people allow themselves to be used like that. If the said students need to know. there ZERO data charges on the website used for the education of Ghanaians on the GES platform. So what are these students talking about? Are they talking about the data charges to be used for instagram, snapchart and to be watching movies?
Instead of students seeing this as an opportunity and concentrating on their books, they want data cheaply to do unnecessary stuff. I bet the number of those who fruitfully use the internet and related in connection with their studies can easily be counted with the finger. If the costs of data is reduced, fine but nobody eats data in these critical times! What we should’ve crying about is Water, Food and Electricity! Data is not a necessity!
Can't you put in your request without bringing in Mahama? Is he the only one who has ever suggested a reduction in data charges? If you have your political agenda, just go ahead and prosecute it, and stop hiding behind issues to project your course.
Who is Mahama? Airbus bribe taker? He is a conman. What did he do for us when we had dumsor for 4 years? He should be ignored in this covid issue. He is just trying to be heard.