National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) presidential hopeful Selma Yoda says the union must become a stronger national voice for students by actively advocating for their concerns.
She intimated that NUGS has a responsibility to take issues raised by individual student groups and institutions to the national level instead of allowing them to remain isolated concerns.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Afternoon Ghana on Monday, August 31, 2026, Selma Yoda said advocacy would be a major part of her approach if elected to lead the union.
“It’s about advocacy. We need to advocate. We need to make sure that their voices are being heard.”
She cited concerns over the recruitment of teacher trainees as an example of an issue that requires stronger national representation.
According to her, when student groups take action over issues affecting them, NUGS, as the umbrella body, should help amplify their concerns and ensure they receive the necessary attention.
“TAG National and their various sectors and their various institutions did a demonstration. It is our responsibility, NUGS as the mother body, to make sure that their voices, that their voices in their little corner is being heard nationwide.”
Ms Yoda said this approach should extend to the many challenges she has encountered during her engagements with students across the country.
She said travelling to different institutions has exposed her to problems that may not always be visible from the national level, including water shortages and accommodation challenges.
In her view, effective advocacy therefore begins with listening to students and understanding their problems before developing policies or demanding action from government and relevant institutions.
Ms Yoda also believes NUGS must maintain its independence while advocating for students, arguing that student leadership should not be driven by political affiliations or external interests.
“We are supposed to make sure that we are representing them well, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of any political infiltration and all that.”
She said the union must remain focused on the interests of the Ghanaian student.
“We want to serve the Ghanaian student. So whatever we are supposed to do, whatever policies, whatever ideas, whatever strategies that we are supposed to bring up to make sure that we have a united front.”
Ms Yoda said her vision for NUGS is built around three key areas: “leadership, visibility, and trust.”
She argues that restoring confidence in the union will require NUGS to be more visible on campuses and more responsive when students raise concerns.
“When you go to some institutions, some of them don’t even know about NUGS at all. That is a problem. Because NUGS is the mother body that’s supposed to represent the student’s body.”
