President John Mahama has revealed intentions to build a student accommodation facility with 10,000 beds at the University of Ghana, characterizing it as a significant move to address housing difficulties students face and enhance their security.
During his address at the University of Ghana’s 77th Annual New Year School and Conference opening on Tuesday, January 6, the President stated the initiative stems from an agreement reached during a recent Singapore visit and will utilize prefabricated construction methods.
“When I went to Singapore, we signed an agreement for a 10,000-student hostel in the University of Ghana,” President Mahama announced. “This is going to be a prefabricated building. It means the building will be manufactured somewhere and then assembled on campus.”
He indicated that groundwork for the initiative has commenced, mentioning that the equipment for the factory producing the hostel parts has been dispatched from Singapore and is presently traveling to Accra.
President Mahama framed the announcement against rising public worry about student housing, citing a recent social media comment by academic Professor Kweku Azar, who drew comparisons between his university days and the struggles current students encounter.
“He talked about how, in his time, you could simply walk to the porter’s lodge, your name would be checked, you’d be handed your room key, and that was it,” the President recalled. “Today, most of our students have to live off campus and travel to lectures every day.”
The President emphasized that the housing shortage has moved beyond mere inconvenience and has evolved into a critical safety concern. He referenced cases where students traveling from off-campus housing were struck by vehicles or assaulted by armed robbers, sometimes resulting in deaths.
“There have been a few unfortunate incidents where students have either been knocked down by vehicles and died, or in some cases been attacked by armed robbers and lost their lives,” he stated. “It is preferable that we have as many of our students living on campus, or as close to campus as possible.”
The 77th Annual New Year School and Conference, organized by the University of Ghana, operates under the theme “Building the Ghana We Want, Together for Sustainable Development.” The gathering unites policymakers, academics, civil society representatives, and students to examine national development issues and policy responses.
President Mahama noted the planned hostel initiative corresponds with wider initiatives to enhance educational access and student well-being, mentioning that he had conveyed the “good news” to the Vice-Chancellor as evidence of the government’s dedication to assisting public universities.