Students at the University of Ghana have called on university management to urgently repair malfunctioning streetlights on campus, citing growing safety concerns.
The dark stretches have turned major campus routes into potential hazard zones, particularly at night. Students are especially worried about the unlit path between the Mathematics Department and the Political Science Department, as well as the walkway linking the Jones Quartey Building (JQB) to the Pent, Bani, and Evandy hostels.
Speaking to Univers News, one student expressed concern over the risks associated with using these routes after dark.
“Walking back to Bani after 9:00 p.m. has become a whole extreme sport. Yesterday, after my evening class at JQB, I had to wait for about five people so we could walk in a group. The moment you pass the lights from the building, you are just walking into pure darkness. You hear footsteps behind you, and you start holding your phone very tight and praying. God forbid someone gets assaulted on that stretch before management realizes we need streetlights,” the student said.
Another student recounted a similar experience and described the psychological impact of navigating the poorly lit routes alone at night.
“I stayed back at Balme and then JQB to finish an assignment, and by the time I packed up around 10:30 p.m., I realized I was alone. Walking towards Bani and Evandy at that time is pure psychological torture. I had to call my roommate to stay on the phone with me throughout the walk just so someone would know if I suddenly stopped talking. I therefore urge management to quickly fix this,” the student appealed.
Students say the situation has forced many of them to alter their routines, avoid certain routes after dark, or wait for others before walking back to their hostels.
For these students, returning to their residences after evening lectures or study sessions should not feel like a security risk. They argue that adequate street lighting is essential to ensuring safety and peace of mind, especially for those who frequently move around campus at night.
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Abraham Aboagye | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
