The University of Ghana’s Campus Association of Students with Special Needs (CASSN) has voiced concerns over challenges in obtaining vacation stay accommodation on campus and the inadequacy of SRC budget allocations.
Speaking to Univers News on March 14, the association’s president, Godsway Azonor, revealed that many special needs students have been left stranded because halls of residence, particularly Akuafo Hall, have refused to accommodate them during the vacation period.
He explained that these students need to stay on campus for various academic commitments, including resitting exams, conducting research, participating in fieldwork, and completing internships. However, despite their pressing needs, their accommodation requests have been rejected.
“Halls are not accepting students for vacation stays, yet many special needs students have important academic obligations. Some are conducting research, others are engaged in internships and fieldwork, but when they seek accommodation, they are turned away. Akuafo Hall, in particular, has officially informed us that they will not admit special needs students during this period. As a result, many of our colleagues are stranded and uncertain about where to stay while attending classes alongside Level 100 students.”
The association is urging university management to step in and resolve the issue.
“If there is one major challenge we want management to address, it is accommodation. Many of us, especially those from distant locations, struggle to find a place to stay on campus.”
In addition to the accommodation issue, Godsway also raised concerns about delays in receiving financial allocations from the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the insufficiency of the funds when disbursed.
He stated that the previous SRC administration had approved a budget for special needs students, yet the funds have not been released.
“Our predecessors informed us that the previous SRC administration had approved a budget for us, but we have not received any of the funds despite official records showing approval. This year, we were allocated a budget, but we are yet to receive anything. When we complained about the small allocation, we were told we would be considered if additional funds became available. However, we never hear anything positive after that.”
The University of Ghana’s Campus Association of Students with Special Needs (CASSN) is an organization dedicated to advocating for students with disabilities and ensuring their equitable access to university life by addressing challenges such as accommodation, financial aid, and academic support.
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Story by: Wahab Abdul Razaak | univers.ug.edu.gh
