A native of Duong in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, Mr. Biekpe Sylvester, has petitioned the District Chief Executive to take immediate steps to enforce Section 12(3)(d) of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), which mandates district assemblies to sponsor students to fill manpower needs in key sectors such as education and health.
In the petition dated September 23, 2025, Mr. Biekpe appealed to the Assembly to enact a comprehensive by-law that will regulate and institutionalise educational sponsorship within the district. He argued that the Assembly has a legal and moral obligation to provide financial support to students, noting that the law clearly states that district assemblies “shall sponsor the education of students from the district to fill particular human resource needs of the district, ensuring fairness and equity between male and female students.”
According to the NDC Constituency Communication Officer, many brilliant but needy students in the Nadowli-Kaleo District continue to face serious financial constraints that hinder their access to higher education. This, he said, has resulted in unequal opportunities and contributed to declining educational and health outcomes in the district. “The Assembly cannot continue to ignore its statutory responsibility when it receives revenue from statutory and non-statutory sources,” he emphasised.
Mr. Biekpe observed that although successive governments have introduced initiatives such as the Students Loan Scheme, Stress-free Fees policy, and Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disabilities, these measures remain inadequate and do not cater to the diverse financial needs of all students. He therefore proposed that the Assembly establish a District Education Sponsorship Scheme (DESS) to offer targeted and sustainable support to deserving students.
Under his proposal, the DESS would be funded from a fixed percentage of the Assembly’s total revenue, including levies and external partnerships. The scheme would define transparent criteria for beneficiary selection, prioritise sponsorship in critical sectors like education, health, and law, and include a Bond of Service requiring beneficiaries to serve the district for at least ten years after completion.
BT Sly, as he is affectionately known, also called for equitable distribution of sponsorships across communities, genders, and socio-economic backgrounds, with annual reporting to ensure transparency and accountability. He proposed further collaboration with the Tertiary Education Students Support Fund (TESSFUND) established in 2021 by the Member of Parliament for the area, Anthony Mwinkaara Sumah, which has so far supported several students.
He lauded both Hon. Sumah and his predecessor, Rt. Hon. Alban S.K. Bagbin, for their efforts in assisting students over the years, but stressed that such interventions cannot replace the Assembly’s statutory obligation. “The time has come for the District Assembly to take ownership of its mandate under the Local Governance Act and complement the work of our MPs in developing the human capital of our district,” the petition stated.
The erudite communicator concluded that the passage of a by-law to enforce Section 12(3)(d) will not only ensure compliance with national legislation but also serve as a strategic investment in the district’s future. “An enforceable by-law on educational sponsorship will give practical effect to Act 936, reduce poverty, and promote socio-economic development,” he added
Filed by: Adams Hafiz Timbile
