FEDERATION OF YOUTH ASSOCIATIONOF GHANA (FEDYAG) vs. PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES OF GHANA & ORS, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, NATIONAL COUNSEL FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION AND ATTORNEY GENERAL [2010]DLSC4150

FEDERATION OF YOUTH ASSOCIATIONOF GHANA (FEDYAG) vs. PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES OF GHAN... [2010]DLSC4150

Date	2010-02-03
Suit No.	WRIT NO. J1/5/2009
Citation No.	[2010]DLSC4150

ATUGUBA J.S.C. (PRESIDING)

ADINYIRA (MRS) J.S.C.

ANIN YEBOAH J.S.C.

GBADEGBE J.S.C.

AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) J.S.C.

KOI LARBI & CO. FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

BENTSI-ENCHILL LETSA & ANKOMAH FOR THE 1ST 2ND & 3RD DEFENDANTS.

CECIL ADADEVOH S.S.A. FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

[2010]DLSC4150
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >FEDERATION OF YOUTH ASSOCIATIONOF GHANA (FEDYAG)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES OF GHANA &amp; ORS, MINISTER OF EDUCATION,
NATIONAL COUNSEL FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION AND ATTORNEY GENERAL<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[SUPREME COURT,
ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

WRIT NO. J1/5/2009&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 3RD FEBRUARY, 2010<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>KOI
LARBI &amp; CO. FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>BENTSI-ENCHILL
LETSA &amp; ANKOMAH FOR THE 1ST, 2ND &amp; 3RD
DEFENDANTS.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

CECIL ADADEVOH S.S.A. FOR THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

ATUGUBA
J.S.C. (PRESIDING), ADINYIRA (MRS) J.S.C., ANIN YEBOAH J.S.C., GBADEGBE J.S.C.,
AND AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) J.S.C.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>ATUGUBA, J.S.C:<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiff per its writ dated 22/4/2009 invoked the original jurisdiction of
this court claiming the following reliefs: <o:p></o:p>“1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A
declaration that the fee paying policy being implemented by the public
universities of Ghana is inconsistent with, or in contravention of the letter
and spirit of the Constitution, 1992 and more particularly articles
17(2)(3)(4)(a), 23, 25(1)(c), 34 (1), 38(1)(3)(a)(c) and 41(b)(d) thereof.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order prohibiting any further
implementation of the fee paying policy by the First Defendants herein and
quashing same.”<o:p></o:p>In
elucidation of its claim the plaintiff averred between paragraphs 2 and 6 of
its statement of case as follows:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>“2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As
a country, like many states, within the comity of nations, we have an
obligation of welcoming citizens of the world into our universities to pursue
knowledge.&nbsp; It means that space must be
reserved by the institutions concerned for these foreign students as we call
them.&nbsp; It has almost always been the case
that the space so reserved has never been fully occupied by the targets.&nbsp; The
Universities instead of returning the unoccupied space to the next most qualified
prospective students then sell the space to Ghanaian citizens at the same price
as the foreign students.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As
if that is not enough, the universities realizing that a lot of money could be
made out of this have decided to reserve more space than can ever be reasonably
occupied by these foreign students.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Now
this act of public universities has become an annual ritual.&nbsp; For e.g. they tell the world that we can only
take 70% prospective students whiles in reality they can take up to 95%.&nbsp; They then cut the intake at say aggregate 12
instead of aggregate 15 and turn around and say, “Whoever can pay this much;
come, we have a place for you”.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This
means that whilst some citizens of the country pay tuition fees others do not
pay tuitions fees to access higher education in the country.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; By
acting in this manner, many qualified prospective students who could have had a
place in their own capacity but for that much to pay are relegated to the
background while those who have the means have their way.”<o:p></o:p>Two
preliminary objections have been taken to this action.&nbsp; Counsel for the 1st set of
defendants (the Public Universities of Ghana) has contended that the plaintiff
is not a corporate body and is therefore not a legal person within the purview
of article 2 of the 1992 Constitution capable of invoking our original
jurisdiction.<o:p></o:p>