Management of the University of Ghana has revealed that almost 86% of legal residents of the Commonwealth have successfully accepted their reallocation to their new halls of residence.
This was after a High court injunction urged the University to rescind its decision to implement the new residential agreements which included the reallocation of members of commonwealth hall to University of Ghana Enterprises Limited Halls and some private Hostels.
However, in a statement released from the University on Wednesday, January 15, 2022, it said the University had already started implementing the new residential arrangement before the High court injunction but will do it best to comply.
The University wishes to place on record that, by 6th January, 2023 when the order of injunction was secured, almost 86% of students who were legally resident in Commonwealth Hall in the 2021/2022 academic year, including four (4) of the eight (8) students who secured the order of injunction against the University, had formally accepted allocation to other Halls of residence in the University.
In the meantime, several hundreds of Level 100 students had been assigned to and taken residence in Commonwealth Hall by 6th January, 2023 before the order of injunction was made. The statement added
The University management also urged students to disregard an alleged directive from the Old Vandals Association (OVA) to “pack all their belongings and report at the entrance of Commonwealth Hall”.
The statements direct continuing students of Commonwealth Hall to “pack all their belongings and report at the entrance of Commonwealth Hall” on the basis of an order of injunction issued by the High Court against a so-called residential policy of the University dated 28th October 2022. The University wishes to state that the order of temporary injunction issued by the High Court on 6th January, 2023 to last for only ten(10) days did not direct and or authorize students to “pack their belongings and report at the entrance of Commonwealth Hall”.
The Management of the University of Ghana added that it believes the basis for the high court ruling was based on false information and urged students to ignore.
The University maintains the view that the injunction was obtained on the basis of blatantly false information. Students are therefore advised to ignore the directives contained in the said statements.
Management of the University of Ghana has tasked its legal representatives to defend the University “vigorously” in court as it maintains the new residential is in the interest of students.
The University of Ghana revoked the accommodation of members of the Commonwealth Hall and male residents of the Mensah Sarbah hall in December 2022 , after the latest clashes involving these two halls on campus.
In a statement signed by the Registrar of the University, these students “are to be randomly assigned to available rooms in any of the UGEL and private hostels”.
“All continuing students of Commonwealth Hall and continuing male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall will not return to these halls, or to any of the traditional halls. They are to be randomly assigned to available rooms in any of the UGEL and private hostels. Continuing female students of Mensah Sarbah Hall and students with special needs in both halls will not be affected by this measure,” the statement said.
The statement added that only Level 100 and graduate students will be assigned to the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah hall from the 2022/2023 academic year.
“Beginning from the 2022/2023 academic year, only Level 100 and graduate students (Masters and PhD level) will be assigned to Mensah Sarbah and Commonwealth Halls. Subsequently, undergraduate students will vacate the halls at the end of Level 100 and may secure accommodation in the private hostels from Level 200 until completion. Level 100 students who opt for traditional halls will be randomly assigned to the halls.
Story by Gideon Nicholas Day | Univers.ug.edu.gh
