By Kojo Adams
Accra, April 3, GNA – The management of the University of Ghana says the institution has not flouted court orders on its new residential policy as alleged by some Members of Parliament.
It said the impression created on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, that the University had disrespected the Judiciary concerning the order of injunction issued by the High Court to halt the implementation of the policy, was not factual.
“Management of the University of Ghana has noted, with concern, comments by some Members of Parliament about the new UG residential policy which sought to create the impression that the University is flouting a court order and, therefore, disrespecting the Judiciary,” it said.
A statement signed by Dr Elizier T. Ameyaw-Buronyah, the Director of Public Affairs, at UG said that following the High Court’s order, the University stopped further assignments to the Commonwealth Hall.
It said the University had exercised its legal rights by appealing against the court order and requested a Stay of Execution of the order of injunction.
The statement said the University was committed to ensuring the welfare of students and a conducive environment for teaching and learning and stressed that the new residential policy had been implemented before the court issued the order of injunction.
It explained that the reporting date for fresh men and women for the start of the 2022/2023 academic year was January 4, 2023, which preceded receipt of the order of injunction.
“Prior to this, freshers had already selected rooms from the available slots through an online platform.
“Accordingly, all fresh men assigned to Commonwealth Hall moved in upon reporting on January 4, 2023,” it said.
The statement pointed out that the allocation of rooms to freshers assigned to Commonwealth Hall ceased immediately after the notice of the injunction was received and had not been resumed.
“The University gave all continuing students who were previously legally resident in Commonwealth Hall the opportunity to take up rooms in the University of Ghana Enterprises Limited (UGEL) halls.
“As at March 30, 2023, 91 per cent of these continuing students had accepted the offer, paid, and are currently in occupancy in the UGEL halls,” it said.
The statement said students who genuinely had difficulty in paying and explained their situation to Management were duly provided support through the University’s Student Financial Aid Office.
It emphasised that traditional halls were not assigned to students in perpetuity.
“The new residential policy, where accommodation in traditional halls is reserved for freshers, is being rolled out progressively, starting from Commonwealth Hall and Mensah Sarbah Hall.
“The policy is to enable freshers to settle in easily into university life in the first year,” the statement said.
The statement emphasised that the new residential policy was not a punishment and no student who accepted the accommodation offer at the UGEL halls was denied residence, as members of the public were being made to believe.
It said academic work at the University was progressing steadily, and students were preparing for end-of-semester examinations.
GNA