FINDING YOUR WAY ON THE STREETS OF LEGON: KNOWING YOUR EXAMINATION VENUE BEFORE THE EXAM DAY

THE INAUGURATION OF THE GRASAG DEVELOPMENT FUND BOARD AND THE LAUNCH OF THE 2,000 CAPACITY BED HOSTEL

Source: Samuel K. Owusu

Truthfully and frankly speaking, first degree has become a normal qualification in our contemporary world and as such it is gradually losing its relevance. This is due to the fact that, almost all Senior High School graduates nowadays proceed to tertiary right after completion in order to further their education. Due to that, some fresh graduates make a step forward to do their masters in order to stand tall among their peers.  As once said by Plato, “If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life.”

Swearing-in of the Board Members

Throughout the years, graduate students in Legon have constantly faced severe challenges in terms of getting accommodation on campus for conducive environment to study. This challenge has become inimical to their academic successes on campus and even beyond.

Board Members

Since Valco Hostel was built decades ago, only little effort had been taken to augment the accommodation deficits of graduate students on campus. The huge intake of graduate students every year does not match with the available facilities to accommodate them thereby, making most of them to be non-residents

The successive leaders of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana in Legon have adequately failed to put up a single Hostel of their own since the inception of GRASAG-UG some decades ago. No attempt has ever been made by the past presidents to kick start any monumental project that will directly or indirectly benefit the graduates. This situation is extremely disturbing and appalling.

That notwithstanding, graduates have been paying all kinds of dues to GRASAG-UG, yet, the association cannot pinpoint a single monumental project they have undertaken that directly benefits students.

GRASAG leaders from other Universities like the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Education, Winneba (UEW) etc., have been able to build their own GRASAG Hostels 

On Wednesday 25th January, 2023, the Christiana-Frimpong led GRASAG-UG administration, successfully inaugurated the GRASAG Development Fund Board, and Launched the 2,000 bed capacity hostel. The induction ceremony was supervised and conducted by the PRO Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic and Students' Affairs, Professor Gordon A. Awandare at the old Council Chamber.

The seven board member of the GRASAG-UG Development Fund includes, Mrs. Nelly Abochie who is the Chairperson of the board. The other members include, Prof. Rosina Kyerematen (The Dean of Students Affairs), Prof. Robert Darko-Osei (The Dean of School of Graduate Studies), Mr. Samuel Osei-Mensah (Students Accountant), Ms. Christiana Adu- Initiating Executive Council, and the outgoing GRASAG-UG President), Mr. Nicodemus NDB Derry (Elder Statesman of GRASAG-UG), and Mr. John-Mark Bekui (Currently as the GRASAG-UG President)

Mrs. Nelly Abochie (The Chairperson)

Speaking during the event, Miss Christiana Adu, the initiating president of the fund said,  "The Fund was set up by the association to finance capital expenditure projects critical to the welfare of Graduate Students in the University of Ghana. It is worth noting that the primary focus of the Fund for the time being is the Construction of a 2000-bed capacity Hostel for Graduate Students"

Ms. Christiana Adu (The outgone GRASAG-UG President)

This has become neccesary for every graduate student to pay 250.00 Ghanaian cedis as contribution into the GRASAG Development fund starting from the 2022/2023 Academic Year. Without a doubt, there is an economic hardship all over the world and Ghana is of no exception but it is of much importance and a necessity for such a project to be constructed today than tomorrow. According to Nukunya (2006), the worldview of the Ghanaian traditional society is made up of the dead, the living, and the children yet unborn. This is an indication that, we will be accountable for the things being handed to us by the ancestors. The present generation must and will benefit from the Hostel project as well as the future generation. Posterity will forever judge us if we fail to build the GRASAG Hostel today.

After the introduction of the GRASAG Development Fund and its approval by the Senate, the inauguration of the Development Fund Board, students have now started contributing to the fund, I am deeply convinced that GRASAG-UG is now willing, committed and ever ready to build its own hostel. It is my prayer that the GRASAG-UG Hostel Project will start as soon as possible.

The Christiana-Frimpong led administration envisioned to construct a 2,000 bed capacity hostel for graduate students with a shopping center, reading rooms and TV rooms, a basket ball and a tennis court, and GRASAG complex that will serve as an administrative block for the association. I am of the firm believe that, the current GRASAG President, John-Mark Bekui will do his possible best to make sure that the GRASAG Hostel Project becomes a reality.

This project when completed will solve the accommodation deficit on Legon campus. If not all, at least, it will lessen the burden . More so, it will be affordable for the poor and needy graduate students as well.

Thanks be to everyone who has contributed to this project especially the members of the Senate of the GRASAG-UG for the unanimous endorsement on 26th July, 2022 and also the University Management for their support.

We are moving to an era where all graduate students will be Residents on campus. A dream we all envisaged. 

This can only be realized through effective collaboration between GRASAG-UG, the University Management and all Stakeholders.

Published by: SAMUEL KWAME OWUSU (SKO)

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