Parents of first-year university students lament accommodation challenges

Several parents of first-year university students in some public tertiary institutions have expressed frustration over their inability to secure accommodation for their wards.

Some told Citi News, though they secured accommodation online and made payments, their wards have been denied access to accommodation.

“My younger sister registered online for a hall, and we made payment. We got to [Legon] campus, and we were told to make another payment. Why did they not include all these in the initial payment? We are made to go through this stress,” a relative to a first-year student complained.

A parent was also surprised that accommodation challenges in various tertiary institutions had not been resolved.

“I think we need to prioritize accommodation on campus because we cannot put our siblings and wards through this discomforting situation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Students and Academic Affairs, Prof. Nana Aba Amfo has explained that some students had issues with their accommodation because they failed to complete the registration procedures online.

“When you go online to apply for a room, and you are successful, you get a room, and then you have to do the residential registration online which includes going through some COVID-19 guidelines that we have provided. You also have to fill a form which provides a bit of your history. Without going through all these processes, you will have challenges.”

Students of the University of Ghana recently hit the streets over an intended introduction of a new residential policy which will provide accommodation for first-year students only.

This policy is expected to replace the existing system which allows final year students to be accommodated at the university residence.

Schools have been closed since March 15, 2020, as part of the government's measures to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in a national address, however, announced the reopening of schools.

He said the academic year will commence for new and continuing university students in January 2021.

— citinewsroom