The Morobe Tertiary Students Union has issued a stern warning to tertiary associations and union executives to refrain from affiliating with politics.
MTSU Patron Offo Olio said association and union executives including members are not allowed to have affiliations with politicians and their associates.
Offo issued this statement after learning that the Morobe Students Association from the University of Papua New Guinea received K200, 000 financial support from the Morobe governor to drive awareness programs in the ten districts of the province.
The president of UPNG Morobe Students Association was seen associating with the governor. His pictures went viral on social media as people commented positively on his leadership role of building top relations with the province’s political head, but MTSU patron said this was unacceptable and was against the unions law.
He said MTSU, which is comprised of 22 associations from institutions throughout the country, is not dependent on political funds.
He said associations operate on funds collected from tertiary students who are members. Offo stated that the associations then affiliate themselves to the union with fees which sustains the union’s operations.
Offo said members are only allowed to initiate fundraising drive activities and invite politicians to go support the fundraising drive and not directly requesting funds from the politicians.