Following the outstanding debt that the University of Ghana has occurred in relation to the Diaspora halls (Hilla Liman Hall, Alexander Kwapong Hall, Jean Nelson Hall, Elizabeth Frances Sey Hall), the SRC president, Sylvester Amoako has petitioned the government under the presidency of His Excellency Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo to intervene on behalf of the University.
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It seems the worse is about happening as the banks have threatened to privatise the Diaspora halls in Legon should the University authorities fail to make a deposit of 50 Million Ghana Cedis. The school authorities have shown signs of inability to pay the deposit. Mr Amoako revealed that “The position of University of Ghana on this issue has been that, we do not have GHC50 million to cough out”.
The government initially promised to subsidise the fees for the Diaspora halls under the leadership of the late President John Evans Fiifi Atta-Mills and it seems the subsequent governments have not been able to hold on to the pledge made to the university. The situation has become so bad that the SRC had very little option than to cry out to the current government for support.
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From the students’ perspective, the SRC president made it clear that the student body is not happy about moving out of the Diaspora halls as they cannot afford to be in relatively expensive hostels such as Pent Hall, Evandy Hall, Bani Hall among others. It seems most students for the academic year will have to flood the traditional halls ( Legon hall, Volta Hall, Commonwealth Hall etc) if the issue is not resolved. Whatever the case may be, the Diaspora Halls will function in the 2019/2020 academic year.