The University of Ghana Students’ Representative Council (UGSRC), led by Frank Tsikata, has concluded the second semester of the 2023/2024 academic year without presenting a budget.
According to Article 52, Clause 1 of the UGSRC Constitution, the SRC President is mandated to present an estimate of revenues and expenditures at the beginning of each semester. However, this requirement was not fulfilled by the Tsikata-Zanyoh administration. The second semester, which began on Monday, April 22, 2024, and ended on August 21, 2024, was conducted without an approved budget.
On Monday, August 5, 2024, the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Professor Rosina Kyeremanten, stated on Campus Exclusive that she had amended the proposed budget for the semester and requested the SRC to make the necessary changes. However, the SRC did not return to her office for final approval.
Despite the lack of an approved budget, the SRC organized several programs during the second semester. One notable initiative was the “Yenkasa Initiative,” aimed at improving students’ welfare, which included a dialogue session held at the Union Building on Friday, May 10, 2024. Additionally, on May 7, 2024, the SRC took to its social media platforms, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter), to invite students to apply for financial support under the “Education Assurance Plan,” which is intended to provide financial assistance to students who have lost their parents or guardians, or whose guardians are disabled.
Another significant project, believed to be a flagship of the Tsikata-Zanyoh administration, was the renovation of the Union Building, although the cost of the project has not been disclosed.
Moreover, the SRC Week Celebration, a major event on the Council’s calendar, was held during the semester. Despite the significant expenditure from student dues to organize the week-long celebration, which featured a performance by Shatta Wale during the Artiste Night, Joyce Blessing and Louis Pascalin the gospel rock show, and partnerships with sponsors like 4syte Live, no financial report has been provided for this or any other SRC projects. The event also included the “66th UGSRC Week Popup Market,” where many traders secured stands at a cost.
In the final weeks of the semester, the administration launched the “UGSRC Skill-Up For Jobs Bootcamp,” a revival of the previously unsuccessful “Skill-Up For Jobs” program initiated by Prince Asumadu and Wisdom Ndunkwe. This bootcamp was designed to help students acquire employable skills.
These projects are expected to have consumed a significant portion of student dues, yet those responsible for managing and accounting for these funds have not done so
