Letter To Prof. Ayitey, Vice Chancellor Of Univeristy Of Ghana

0

Dear Sir,

Permit me to use my freedom of speech and expression which is stated in Article 21, Section 1a of the constitution of Ghana to discuss an issue which is now every residential student?s headache. There have been several pleas to take a second look at the security issues on the University of Ghana campus but nothing has been done in effect. For a while, I decided to remain adamant on these aroused concerns from the students, but the elders say, ?Until one is stricken by an action, he or she refuses to act.?
IMG_20150423_155302
Theft has grown to an unbearable extent at the University of Ghana. If during the day, students fear for their possessions, how much more at night? Nobody is safe any longer in this institution. Thanks to the current government of the country, all and sundry is experiencing a bad phenomenon which has increased the rate of crime in the country. Every now and the media is filled with news of robbery in the country. ?WOMAN ROBBED OF HER BELONGINGS AFTER BLACK OUT? is one of the several headlines the newspapers agencies have captured as their headlines. This unsolved issue: – the frequent power outages has helped increase the rate of crime in the country and University of Ghana campus as well. What if the government kill two stones with one bed, by decreasing the frequent black outs which in turn would help reduce the rate of crime in the country?
It is not so surprising a friend of mine became a victim of these robbing of students of their possessions. As late as 12am midnight, when almost every student had located themselves in their various rooms as a result of ?dumsor?, a whole room was ripped off of their valuable possessions. This was as a result of the door not locked after one room member forgot to lock the door after leaving. One of the roommates was able to wake up at that time and upon screaming, the thief disappeared in the darkness.
With shock, these students decided to locate themselves in various apartments, both on campus and outside campus for their safety. On their way, they never came across a security man who were supposed to turn up for their night shift on the premises or outside the hostel. So, I asked myself, WHERE ARE THE SECURITY MEN? Many students believe the security men one way or the other have a hand in the numerous crime cases on campus. I stand to agree to a point that they are the same ones who rob us of our belongings. If they can?t catch the robbers, what indicates they are not the ones or they have a hand in the numerous theft cases?
The defenceless, that is the females are the ones attacked mostly. All over the campus, it is the females who always give an account of their ordeals. Day after day, cases of theft are reported all over on campus. What is so amazing is the countless number of times successive Student Representative Council heads have made ?promises? to cure this canker but nothing has ever manifested. As a continuum, this year, the aspirants for the Student Representative Council President position included this issue in their manifestos. The election is over and I pray that this menace will be the winner?s number one priority. The menace of students being attacked, especially the females as a result of darkness all over vantage points on campus.
Just like a senior high school boarding house, one is assured security by the housemasters, however the reality is very far from it. One night, my housemaster terrified us with his frustration and concern about a student in the room. He only calmed down after the student was brought back to the house from classes by his colleagues.Ask 75% of the population of the University of Ghana residential students, about the relevance of any hall/hostel tutor or security man and you?d hear unpleasant stories. It is not because the students dislike these heads but these heads are only interested in their finances other than seeking to improve the living conditions on campus. If so be it, the students should vacate the halls and hostels on the campus for the self-acclaimed heads of the University to accommodate themselves in. We can?t continue to feel neglected and unsafe in a place we have paid huge sum of money for.
Well, I?m certain that our various heads have not been affected by these circumstances, else they would have acted fast. When a child cries to the dad for a solution to a problem and there is no response, the child then resorts to his own means of solving it: – either remain quiet or act erroneously.
What if the majority of the population of the students decide to act? What if the affected students take a stand and cause violence? Are the authorities of the school waiting for a mob action before they act? Are they waiting for the students to take to social media about the crimes on campus before measures are taken? Is that what is to happen always, both in University of Ghana and the country as a whole?
Dear Vice Chancellor, I beseech you as a concerned student that even if the voices of the students don?t ring a bell in your ears to deliver us from our plight, just put yourself in our shoes. If you were to be the one, how safe would you have felt? Have you ever decided to take a walk from Pent to TF after 6:30pm? I bet you can hardly walk that distance in darkness.
Vice Chancellor, if you could pay attention to us and deliver us from these crimes and not wait for the government or Jesus to come down, you will build a place for yourself in the hearts of the students.

fROM Adjei Gerald.
University of Ghana.
+233209047962 / +233543518489
www.lhytylwonder.wordpress.com
Writers Code

Send your news stories to [email protected] Follow News Ghana on Google News

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here