Yamfo (A/R), Jan 10, GNA – The Management of the College of Health, Yamfo (CoHY), in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, has inaugurated three newly-constructed hostel facilities to reduce accommodation challenges.
The three hostels, designed with 180 students capacity each, is valued at more than GHC2 million and funded from the College’s internally generated fund at GHC667,000 each.
In addition, five mechanized boreholes constructed at the cost of GHC100,000 and a 16-seater capacity Toyota minibus procured at GHC240,000 were also inaugurated.
Speaking at the event at Yamfo, Dr Mohammed Mohammed Ibrahim, the Director of the College, said Management last year converted some of its limited lecture halls to hostels to accommodate the students, who were hitherto living in rented premises in the town.
He said the College had been spending huge sums of money on rent, stating that the rent renewals for this academic year were about GHC384,000.
Dr Ibrahim emphasised over the years, the College was left with no option other than to subsidize the accommodation fees of students because the College could not charge students beyond approved fees.
The Director said aside from the increasing rent charges, there had been issues of insecurity, theft and attempted rape cases on female students.
He expressed fear that with the anticipated extension of Newmont Gold Corp Ahafo Mine operations to the area, “the rent situation is going from bad to worse.”
Dr Ibrahim said within the year, the College drilled five completely mechanized boreholes and increased its water storage capacity from 30,000 litres to more than 130,000 litres to cater for the increasing number of students on campus.
The three hostels were named after Nana Ansah Adu-Baah, the Paramount Chief of Yamfo Traditional Area, Nana Ampem Darkoa Kyerewaa II, the Paramount Queenmother of Yamfo Traditional Area and Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah, the former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, an illustrious son of Yamfo.
GNA