UG: Residents of diaspora halls lament challenges in rooms after $16m spent on renovation

University halls are not known for being luxurious, but some resident students of the University of Ghana diaspora halls are not pleased with the current conditions in their residence.

Parts of the halls leak, with a poor state of reading rooms and kitchens as students struggle to enjoy a wi-fi connectivity.

This comes after the government earmarked $16 million for the refurbishment of the four halls for the African Games, which took place in March this year.

The halls come with a unique layout, named after notable personalities like Dr. Hilla Limann, Prof. Alexander Kwapong, Jean Nelson and Elizabeth Frances Sey, the first female graduate of the institution.

Over the years, these halls have enjoyed some glories, but have also been subject to disputes, especially the infamous attempt to privatise them in 2019.

Government awarded a controversial 16-million-dollar contract to refurbish these halls for the All African games.

As part of the package, general repair works and installations took place to give the facilities a facelift.

But barely two months after the games, parts of the halls leak at the slightest drizzle.

The installed air conditioners have been disconnected so students can not use them.

“When we saw the renovation, we thought by the time we come back life in the diaspora halls will be very good. But, then, when we came we saw otherwise.”

“Currently, most of the rooms lack tables and chairs,” a student told TV3.

A notice from management has prohibited students from cooking at the balconies due to the unavailability of tables.

In the face of this, I visited some kitchens but was surprised to see some did not have light.

The sinks were rusty, with the valves disconnected.

“We are not allowed to cook in our balconies because, in the first place, we don’t even have tables to put out hotplates on. We are forced to do a lot of things that lead to discomfort.”

“The kitchen is not conducive for cooking; it is not in a good shape because looking at the number and looking at the size of the kitchen, I don’t think it is good for us,” another student lamented.

Amid the water crisis, students are also battling with reading rooms that are filled with dirt and broken louvre blades.

“It’s not encouraging for our studies. We have made complaints, but it seems we are not heard. As of now, we’ve resumed school, and it seems no one cares about what is going on.”

“Our water crisis is also a big challenge. You wake up in the morning and would want to bathe but the tap wouldn’t flow. You are then forced to walk downstairs to fetch water,” another resident student stated.

The University of Ghana Enterprises Limited (UGEL) management declined any official comment on the issues.

But they stated that they do not have any idea about how much was spent on specific works in the hall out of the $16 million allocated for the refurbishment.

The disappointed students continue to yearn for better days even as they navigate their academic journey.

The post UG: Residents of diaspora halls lament challenges in rooms after $16m spent on renovation first appeared on 3News.

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