The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has issued an urgent call for private investment in student residential facilities on campus.
The school is struggling with a severe shortage of student accommodation, which has led to most students renting private hostels and homes within the surrounding communities. This has resulted in an increase in theft, robbery, and other vices against students, undermining efforts to ensure their safety.
Speaking at the first and second sessions of the school's 55th congregation on Thursday, the Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof Johnson Nyarko Boampong, noted that although the authorities had signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with many companies to provide accommodation on campus, none had materialised.
“We cannot sit aloof and allow the situation to continue. Therefore, the university will explore all avenues to ensure that we build befitting residential facilities for our cherished students,” he said.
At the graduation ceremony, a total of 2,791 students were awarded degrees, comprising 1,835 from the College of Humanities and Legal Studies (CHLS) and 956 from the College of Health and Allied Sciences (CoHAS) in the first and second sessions, respectively.
170 students graduated with first class, 786 with second class upper, 551 with second class lower, 283 with third class, and 45 with passes from CHLS. CoHAS, on the other hand, had 95 first-class students, 550 in second-class upper, 246 in second-class lower, 59 in third class, and six passes.
Mr Emmanuel Mawuli Atitso was adjudged the overall best graduating Business student from CHLS while Madam Emmanuella Obike graduated as the overall best student in CoHAS. The overall best students and other students who distinguished themselves in various programmes took home various prizes, including cash, laptops, books, and certificates.
Prof Boampong intimated that successive heads of the school had undertaken many teaching and learning spaces. However, inadequate offices for lecturers and residential facilities for students remained a challenge.
In view of that, he said the school had cut the sod for the construction of an academic staff office complex for the faculties in the College of Humanities and Legal Studies and the College of Education Studies to enhance productivity.
Prof Obeng Mireku, Chairman of the school's Council, observed that the low level of rent paid by students, which did not provide realistic returns on investment, was a major disincentive for investors.
“It is my hope that university management, with support from the government and the cooperation of student leadership, will settle on realistic rents that will attract the private sector to consider investing, especially in student accommodation on campus,” he said.
Beyond the infrastructural challenges, the Vice Chancellor noted that the scourge of encroachment on the school's lands persisted. A recent attempt by the university to protect the remaining parcels of land was met with fierce resistance from some members of the surrounding communities.
“This notwithstanding, we are more determined than ever to preserve the University, the only major institution that has brought unprecedented economic growth and honour to the Cape Metropolis and by extension, the Central Region of Ghana,” he noted.
In line with global trends, Prof Boampong said UCC was collaborating with several institutions across the world to support its goals of achieving greater visibility.
He said the school, during its recent visit to India, secured exchange programmes with some institutions of higher learning in that country to share experiences and resources.
In his advice to the graduates, he said the ceremony did not mark the end of their studies but the beginning. He was confident that having gone through UCC, the students had been equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to enable them
