The decision of KNUST to defer students owing fees will affect them psychologically and their academic performance.

That's according to the Speaker of the Students' Parliament, Shamuna Suleman Gmakani, who is calling on the university's authority to be lenient on the students.

Gmakani acknowledges that betting is a widespread canker that the University has put in place measures to stop students from using betting platforms on campus.

He says some of the students have genuine reasons they could not meet the minimum requirement of the KNUST Fees Credit and Debt Management Policy.

One of the affected students who spoke on the condition of anonymity appeals to the University authority to consider his plight and reverse its decision.

Alexander Dickson, not his real name, is the third child of his parents.

A second-year engineering student who was not able to meet the minimum requirements of the KNUST Fees Credit and Debt Management Policy.

Alexander says his mother is sick and his father is a peasant farmer who cannot afford to pay 1,750.  He had to rely on a pastor and some benevolent people to pay his fees among others at level 100.

Realizing he could not pay this academic year, he had to travel to Accra and work to raise funds, but that money was used to solve other challenges.

Alexander is not alone in this challenge. There are a couple of students who are having difficulty paying their fees.

But there are others too who can afford it, but have used their fees to gamble.

Speaker of Parliament for KNUST Students Parliament, Shamuna Sulemana Gmakani, says betting is a widespread canker on the University's campus.

Shamuna says the decision of the KNUST to defer students owing fees will affect them psychologically.

He however appeals to the university to soften its decision on the students.

His appeal is reiterated by Joseph Harry Turkson, a second-year law student.

Over 6,000 students at the Kwame Nkrumah Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have been asked to defer their courses.

Students were unable to meet the minimum requirements under the Credit and Debt Management Policy for University tuition fees.

The University had sent reminders to students to pay at least 70% of fees by April 7, 2022 to avoid automatic deferral.