Junior Common Room President of the Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana Paul Anim Inkoom has called on the University Management to reserve residency in private hostels on campus for students of the University. This he says, would help reduce the accommodation crises faced by the school.
“You see we have hostels, private hostels, Bani,TF, Evandy, we share these hostels with students from UPSA, Wisconsin, and GIMPA but the hostel is on University of Ghana land. And so we were hoping that at least all the spaces available there are given to University of Ghana students. So, that at least we know that Evandy is on the University of Ghana Campus, and so it should admit only University of Ghana students.”
Paul Anim Inkoom and some other JCR executives who spoke on Ghana Broadcasting Association Breakfast Show mentioned that they have petitioned the University management to find solutions to the accommodation crises faced by students.
Over the years, we have taken a lot of actions that is why he said that in 2019, Commonwealth JCR petitioned the office of the President and the University Management, we did say last year that we petitioned the university management about the whole accommodation crisis and we suggested solutions, solutions being the SRC hostel. We wanted them to fast-track the process so that construction can be done as soon as possible. And we also proposed that the Commonwealth Hall Annex should be given a go-ahead so that the annex can be contracted to at least can reduce the deficits to some number.
He however mentioned that management is yet to revert to them on measures taken to resolve the accommodation deficit.
We suggested all these to the University Management unfortunately we didn’t hear anything from them we are hoping that as time goes on they can revert to us on measures they are taking to curb the situation.
BACKGROUND
The University of Ghana has over the years been battling with accommodation crises. This has always left thousands of students mostly freshmen with their parents stranded with no hope of securing accommodation after failure to secure one when the online portal for halls is opened.
In resolving these challenges the former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu promised during the 2019/2020 matriculation ceremony that the University’s Land Lease Committee was negotiating with private bodies to expand housing options for students.
On the other hand, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) has over the years cut swords for the construction of a 2,500-bed capacity hostel project but that has not materialized.
The Commonwealth Hall Old Vandals Association (OVA) in partnership with KPMM Civils Limited also intends to build a 4,000-bed state-of-the-art annex for the hall.
However, the initiative received several petitions from staff residents who stated that due to the magnitude of the project, the flow of water to the bungalows of lecturers will be hindered.
In addition, difficulty to control the behavior and actions of the male residents are among many concerns raised by some staff of the institution.
This is still a bone of contention between the OVAL and the lecturers.
