Residents of the Elizabeth Frances Sey Hall at the University of Ghana are expressing deep frustration over persistent electricity and water supply disruptions that have paralyzed student life for the past 48 hours.
The crisis, which peaked between January 20 and January 21, 2026, has left many students stranded, unable to attend lectures, or prepare meals.
Students who spoke to Univers News lamented that the dual failure of water and power has disrupted their academic routines. A major point of contention is the “fuel levy” paid by all residents, which is intended to power generators during outages.
“People are starving because we are not allowed to bring gas cylinders into this hall. Many are waiting for the power to return just to cook,” one student complained. “We pay a fuel levy specifically to avoid darkness, yet we are still facing these challenges.”
Another resident highlighted the impact on academic attendance.
“It’s 11:10 AM and I have a class at 11:30 AM, but the taps haven’t flowed since last night. I can’t go to class without showering. I reported this last semester and hoped for improvement, but it has only worsened.”
In an exclusive interview with Univers News, the JCR Vice President of the hall, Alberta Nyamadi assured residents that efforts are underway to resolve the situation.
Addressing the electricity issue, she explained that a phase fuse in the hall had burnt out.
“I consulted the facility manager today, and we have implemented a temporary fuse to restore power to the affected areas while we work with management on a permanent fix,” she clarified.
Regarding the water shortage, Nyamadi revealed a technical limitation in the hall’s infrastructure. According to the facility manager, the water system operates manually, requiring a plumber to physically climb and check tank levels.
“Because the system isn’t automated, the plumber doesn’t know when the tanks are empty unless he checks manually. We cannot leave the pumps on indefinitely, which leads to these gaps in supply,” she explained.
Despite the temporary fixes, residents criticised the JCR executives for a lack of proactive communication during the peak of the crisis. Many students are now calling on UGEL Management to intervene and provide a long-term solution to the ageing infrastructure to ensure these disruptions do not become a permanent feature of hall life.
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Story by Wilhemina Nii-Moi| univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Deborah Owusu
