University Of Ghana: Students To Pay 2016/2017 Fees As Parliament Fails To Approve Fees For 2017/2018 Academic Year Several Months On

Students of the University of Ghana have been asked to pay fees for the 2016/2017 academic year as the “valid” fees for the 2017/2018 academic year several months after Parliament failed to approve new fees it had set for the 2017/2018 academic year.

In a statement dated 6^th January, 2018 and signed by the SRC President and Secretary, Mr Daniel Otting Awuah and Janet Maame Serwaa Arkoful Awotwe respectively, the SRC stated:

“Students are by this notice informed that the fees paid in the 2016/2017 academic year remain the valid fees for the 2017/2018 academic year…this is as a result of the stalled deliberations by Parliament on providing a consensus with regards the fee schedule. The University Council in a unanimous decision has therefore ruled that the fees that were paid in the 2016/2017 academic year be maintained for the 2017/2018 academic year.”

It further urged students to “note that the deficits that may appear on the MIS web are as a result of structural measures by the University to avoid conflictual figures, in the event different resolutions are passed by Parliament.”

Brief Background
In July last year, students in tertiary institutions protested against hikes in the fees for the 2017/2018 academic year, culminating in a petition to parliament to review the fees. Parliament directed that there be no increases pending its approval of the new fees. The institutions complied with the directive and students were made to pay fees for the previous year ( the 2016/2017academic year) so that reopening for the 2017/2018 academic year could go on as planned. But Parliament has since not approved the fees of the 2017/2018 academic year even as the second semester is about to begin.

It is worthy of note that the 2016/2017 fees were not approved by Parliament.