Daniel Awuah Otting is University of Ghana SRC President Elect: See His 8 Key Thematic Campaign Promises

Students of the University of Ghana (UG) have elected a Political Science and Philosophy student, Daniel Awuah Otting as their Students Representative Council (SRC) President for the next academic year.

Otting describes himself as a “a hardworking, informative and action-driven team player”, who is “guided by the values of passion, hard work and commitment.”

Daniel polled 3,412 votes while Sylvester Amoako polled 1,706 in a run-off election that had a total voter turn out of 5,118.

He beat Sylvester Amoako in yesterday’s run-off election after both failed to secure the needed 50 per cent plus one vote in last week’s UG SRC General election.

It was a hotly contested election that often came down to which aspirant was offering the best policies to the student body.

Otting’s campaign promises are categorized into eight broad action areas that comprise of academics, human recourse development, internet accessibility and communication, shuttling/transportation, sports, SRC rebranding, ease of accessibility and health security and sanitation.

See below for the full details of Otting’s winning campaign promises.

POLICY ON ACADEMICS

1. Advocate for student representation on the Academic Board as a key decision -making body of the University. This is in consonance with an important recommendation made by the 2007 Visitation Panel Report under the rubric of Governance, Management and Administration.
2. Vehemently support the GPA Review Committee and make useful suggestions to improve upon the current system which frustrates the academic life of our smart and brilliant students. To this end, we will advocate for 1:1:2:2 final GPA ratio distribution to be made flexible such that the best academic years, regardless of the level, gets the highest multiplier effect.
3. Introduce *OPERATION RETRIEVE ALL RESULTS* to make sure students get their results, especially, *UGRCs,* published or released on time.
4. Advocate for the reintroduction of the “dashboard” to improve academic freedom, transparency and accountability
5. See to the refurbishment of lecture theatres (this include fixing fans, projectors, windows, curtains etc) and surrounding facilities such as washrooms
6. Ensure timely release of resources and academic materials for students with special needs

POLICY ON DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY OF STUDENTS

1 Establish an Opportunity hub under the office of the SRC secretary.

2. The hub would be responsible for looking for both local and international opportunities to make our students competitive in the global world.
3. The hub would be responsible for aiding and assisting students during their registration period
4. They shall also assist such students in away deemed within their capacity when enlisted in such competitions.
5. Such opportunities may include the coveted Hult Prize, International Sustainability Challenge, Young African Leadership Initiative, Global Leadership Initiatives, MODEL UN and hosts of other training and fora which would provide the pallet for our students to build their own capacity and make meaningful contribution to an ever competitive world.
6. Organize career Fairs, seminars, conferences and place emphasis on *Exchange Programs* to help develop students front on a broad scope of knowledge to equip them.
7. This would be done in close collaboration and provision of resources where possible with the Careers and Counseling Centre, JCR’s and other Societies/clubs/departments on campus such as ENACTUS, AIESEC, UG Debate Society, NADMO, UNIGAPS, POSSA, Consumer Science Students Association, Engineering students Association among others.
8. Collaborate with the Office of the Vice Chancellor to expedite the establishment of innovation hubs. This effort is in line with the Vice-Chancellor’s vision of building the capacity of the human resource potentials of the University
9. Partner key industries and internal stakeholders to place students on industrial attachment and internships
10. Encourage the culture of volunteerism within and outside Ghana among students. The SRC shall open doors to such opportunities.

*Build an integrative network for all groups, clubs and associations on campus such UG Debate Society, ENACTUS UG, AISEC UG, UGPH, NADMO UG, UN Association etc etc. These groups, clubs and associations offer tremendous opportunities to student to build our human potentials and sustainable networks with the outside world.

*Active online portals would be made available for clubs and associations as part of the integrative effort.

Facilitate rebranding of these groups and make them increasingly accessible to students, especially freshmen and women

POLICY ON INTERNET ACCESSIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION

1. Introduce a quota system whereby every student gets access to an unlimited bandwidth to be used for a period of a month. This is to help make WiFi usage more convenient, efficient and better.
2. We shall advocate for restoration of online academic tools such as YouTube for students to have access to them 24/7 to meet their academic needs.
3. We shall advocate for a “FREE ZONE” Wi-Fi area where there shall be unlimited access to the internet 24/7 to aid Students in their academic work.

*Provide free SIM cards for FREE INTRA-CAMPUS communication

*Begin talks with the telcos to improve network reception on campus

POLICY ON SHUTTLING/TRANSPORTATION

1. Restore the operations of the SRC Shuttle to operate alongside private shuttles to reduce current shuttling deficit and to make room for healthy competition in the shuttling system.
2. This move has become necessary in the wake of private monopoly over the shuttling system on campus. We shall dismantle this monopoly and make room for better conditions for all students.
3. Make special provision for shuttling services during IA and Examination Week. We shall also extend shuttle operations to *19:30 GMT*

POLICY ON SPORTS

1. Advocate for free usage of Sports facilities such as gym(s), pool etc by students.

2 Begin negotiations with corporate Ghana to give facelift to the Athletics Oval. This would include additional renovation work on the Basket Ball Court.

3 Begin a Passport drive to help provide passports and relevant documents to ALL Sportsmen and women (Debate Society members inclusive)

4. Establish a Committee for Sports and Physical Fitness under the SRC headed by the General Sports Secretary to address all matters related to students with respect to sports.
5. Advocate for better incentive packages for our sportsmen and women to induce performance and to make the discipline attractive to all.
6. Hold collaborative ventures with various JCR’s and other groups to help promote sports.

POLICY ON SRC REBRANDING

1. Carry out aggressive preservation of SRC Institution memory. Design a modern website to be linked to the main University Website where relevant activities and documentations (such as SRC minutes, legislations, budget and reports) would be published for ease of accessibility by students.
2. Permanent active social media platforms shall be linked to this platform.
3. Establish a “Council of Past UG-SRC Executives” to bring together all past SRC executives who would act in ex-officio advisory capacity to current executives and assist in raising funds for SRC initiatives
4. Introduce SRC paraphernalia, some of which would be freely distributed to students

5 Repackage SRC week to give more attention to talent mining and more beneficial activities.

6 Strike close collaboration between campus based media platforms to sell and market all activities of the SRC. To this end, SRC shall secure airtime at Radio Universe for a program to be dubbed “Meet the SRC”.

POLICY ON EASE OF ACCESSIBILITY

1. Introduce road signage for easy traffic and pedestrian movement. We shall collaborate with Ghana Roads Safety Commission under the Ministry of Transport to fast track its implementation.
2. Advocate for all academic and residential buildings to be progressively made disability-friendly. This policy is fully backed by the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 Act 715. We shall partner the University closely to bring this policy into full force.
3. Advocate for timely release of resources and academic materials for students with special needs. This has become necessary as a result of the difficulties faced by such students in meeting their academic needs within and ahead of time.

POLICY ON HEALTH, SECURITY AND SANITAION

1. Create speed dial for the school clinic to assist students address emergency health concerns rapidly
2. Begin talks on future re-situation of the student clinic to give room for expansion and modernization. *Repair faulty Street light and make further extensions to respond to current residential expansion
3. Situate Security checkpoints at southern and northern parts of campus, namely, the stretch from Pentagon to Top Nelson (TF) and Limann to Nelson to address security challenges of residents
4. Replace damaged bins and make provision for additional ones to be placed at vantage points
5. Organize hall-based competitive clean-up exercises as part of the measures to ensure sanitation

OTHER POLICIES

1 Set up a Constitutional Review Committee within our first 50 days in office to make room for amendment of anachronistic and obsolete legislations.

2. Restructure General Assembly (GA), the legislative body of the SRC, to give them the power under the constitution to diligently perform their function.

3.. In compliance with appropriate and better practices, the Legislative body shall completely be weaned from the Executive body. SRC executives, under the new practice, shall not double as legislators as is the current practice. This shall grant GA greater level of independence and autonomy.

4. See to the introduction of the Parliamentary practice of select committees at General Assembly to ensure administrative efficiency.
5. In order to increase the audience of Radio Universe, SRC shall collaborate with their management to carry out aggressive rebranding and marketing.
6. Establish a trilateral cooperation between SRC, JCR & CPC to bring counselling to the door step of students through peer counseling
7. Full recognition of satellite campuses (Distance and City Campus) under a reviewed constitution
8. Advocate for freshly admitted diploma students to be considered for accommodation
9. Mobilize funds for the purchase of bus for UG Medical School
10. Advocate for flexibility in financial aid application to cover newly admitted students who are needy but brilliant. We shall expand the source of funding for the purposes of financial aid.