Old students of the Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah halls of the University of Ghana have expressed their displeasure about the university’s decision to eject continuing students from the two halls.
The university management issued a statement revoking the tenancy of continuing students from the two halls last year.
According to the decision, all continuing students of the Commonwealth Hall, an all-male hall of residence, and continuing male students of Mensah Sarbah Hall will not return to their halls nor to any of the traditional halls.
However, the Old Vandals, who massed up at the university grounds on Tuesday, January 3, believe the school’s management is victimising students.
“The university management is reacting to a situation, and they are doing that to cover their incompetence. Some 10 years ago, we were able to house every student on campus and 10 years down the line, we are facing accommodation challenges, and instead of the university solving it, they are reacting to it,” an old student told Citi News in an interview.
Another student added, “the private hostels are four times more expensive than what they are paying at the moment, and even with the GHC1,500 that they are paying [ to live at the halls], some of us have to step in [to help pay]”.
Background
On December 14, 2022, the management of the University of Ghana announced that all continuing male students would not return to Mensah Sarbah Hall and Commonwealth Hall.
According to a press statement signed by the Registrar, the residents are to be randomly re-allocated to the University of Ghana Enterprise Limited Hostel (UGEL) and private hostels.
This decision was an intervention to prevent the recurrence of violent clashes between students of Commonwealth Hall and Mensah Sarbah Hall.
“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 read.
The Registrar further instructed that only Level 100 and graduate students will be assigned to these halls while measures are put in place to ensure that only freshers and graduate students occupy traditional halls.
