Legon to resolve accommodation challenges

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG), Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, has said in an effort to address the accommodation challenges facing the university, the institution’s Land Lease Committee was negotiating with private bodies to expand housing options there.

“Active negotiations are ongoing over an assignment of six acres of UG land for hostel development. Meanwhile, approval for negotiation with a couple of other companies has recently been given for hostel development on a further 12-acre UG land,” he said.

He added that the university was in the process of signing an agreement with the Old Vandals Association (OVA) and their partners, KPMM Civils Limited, to deliver a 4,000-bed state-of-the-art annex for the Commonwealth Hall.

“Hopefully, this project will take off this year with a possible completion of the first phase within one year after commencement, he said.

Prof. Oduro made this known at the 2019/2020 matriculation ceremony organised for newly admitted students to the university in Accra last Saturday.

Accommodation

He noted that the Student Representative Council (SRC) also wished to embark on a 2,500-bed capacity hostel project to help reduce the accommodation deficit on campus.

Touching on some initiatives taken by the university, he said in 2007, the University of Ghana Enterprise Limited (UGEL) was established to function as a commercial company to address their accommodation challenges.

However, he noted that the government in 2011 disallowed the operation of UGEL as a commercial facility and promised to service the loan that was procured to undertake the project.

He said the government, however, failed to honour the promise, so the university had not been able to undertake any further investments in construction, as it was faced with a judgement debt of over GH¢500 million.

“The university is, however, making strenuous efforts to repay the debt,” he noted.

Admission

Prof. Owusu mentioned that 18,212 students were admitted for the 2019/2020 academic year, made up of 15,167 undergraduates and 3,045 graduate students, adding that a total of 409 international students had registered so far.

Security

Prof. Owusu urged the students to abstain from all kinds of anti-social behaviour and focus on their studies.

He said the university had developed an anti-sexual harassment policy, among others, as part of initiatives to create a safe environment that was free from intimidation, exploitation and abuse.