Legon Inaugurates New Hall Of Residence

The University of Ghana yesterday inaugurated a new students’ hall of residence named after Elizabeth Frances Baaba Sey, the first female graduate of the university.

The 400-room hall brings to four, the number of new halls built and inaugurated by the university to provide accommodation for students.

The other halls inaugurated last year were: the Dr Hilla Limann Hall, Prof. Alex Kwapong Hall and Dr Jean Aka Hall. The halls were named after those personalities as a result of their contributions to the university and country at large.

At the inauguration of the Elizabeth Frances Baaba Sey Hall at Legon yesterday, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, said the management of the university decided to name the halls after individuals who had contributed in diverse ways to the development of the university.

The hall, he said, was named after Elizabeth to serve as a motivation to female students and females in general, and in recognition of their contribution to education.

The university, he said, recognised the contributions of females to national development and last year, increased the percentage of female intake from 40 to 42.

The brother of Elizabeth Frances Baaba Sey, Mr Ebo Bentsi-Enchii, thanked the management of the university for honouring his late sister.

The Chairman of the University Council, Justice Samuel Date-Bah, who chaired the function, described it as historic.

Elizabeth Frances Baaba Sey (nee Biney) was born on April 21, 1927 at Cape Coast to Ebenezer Francis Sey Biney and Mary Victoria Biney.

Her father died in her infancy and she was brought up by the family of her maternal uncle, George Amissah of Beulah Lane, Cape Coast.

She attended St. Monica’s School in Cape Coast and Achimota School from 1939 to 1943. She completed her teacher training in 1948, and after passing her Intermediate Examinations in 1950, entered the then University College of the Gold Coast from which she graduated with BA degree awarded by the University of London in 1953. Soon after that Elizabeth Sey was appointed an Education Officer for Sekondi.

She taught at Wesley Girls High School, St. Louis Secondary School and Achimota School, where she retired as Head of the English Department in 1987.

Until her death in 1991, she was a member of the Board of Governors of the Ghana International School.

All her life, according to her biography, was dedicated to the education of others.

Her personality was marked by true dedication and self-effacement.

From childhood, she demonstrated an attachment to family values and all who came into contact with her admired her tenacity of purpose shored by a principled and methodical approach to life.