USAG has bemoaned students cannot adequately prepare to meet up with the new fees, considering the few weeks they have to resume academic activities.

Parliament recently approved a 15% maximum increment in university fees from the previous academic year.

On the back of this, some universities have released provisional fees for the next academic year with very high percentage increments; a development USAG is not satisfied with.

But to USAG, the announcement by the institutions is an error.

In a statement, the association lamented the recent astronomical hikes in fees which will make access to education become increasingly difficult.

“The procedure for approval of Public University fees is very clear, and this approval does not stop at Management or at University Councils. Our universities are supposed to send their proposed fees to Parliament through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and the Ministry of Finance. Subject to the passing of the recent Fees and Charges Act, of 2022, the final approving authority is not the university management but Parliament.

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“Our biggest concern with this release is on how short the notice on the payment has come, and how difficult it will be for most of our students to continue their education,” the statement read in parts.

The association further raised concerns over how students who rely on the Students Loan Trust Fund and GETFund will be able to meet up with the increment as the 2023 budget contains a 39% slash for Loan Trust Fund and GETFund, on the other hand, has over the years underfunded public universities.

The Association said in a press statement issued on Friday, a day after the incident said it is regrettable. 

It thus wondered healthy rivalries between the halls have gone bad in recent years.

USAG said such retrogressive acts should not be countenanced in the country’s tertiary institutions. 

“Why must we now retrogress in our advocacy for our rights and improved academic lives by engaging in such acts?”

It, therefore, called on student leaders across the country to join in efforts to curb the menace.

“It said students cannot continue to allow such acts to threaten the academic freedom of university students in Ghana, the peace on our various campuses, and in the country as a whole.”

“We are, by this release, calling on all members and leaders of our JCRs and SRCs to rise to the task at this moment. Let us, together, channel this youthful exuberance into productive ventures which will benefit our lives as youth of this country.”

About the incident

The disturbance on Thursday evening left three vehicles damaged.

It is believed attempts of students of Unity Hall to restrain colleagues from University Hall from using their frontage in a procession.

This reportedly resulted in the incident, with the two factions pelting stones at each other.

The University Students Association of Ghana (USAG) says it will organise series of demonstrations if university lecturers do not call off their strike this week.

According to the Association, government’s handling of the industrial action by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) does not give hope of any immediate resolution.

UTAG has been on strike for more than three weeks over its conditions of service.

But with public universities nearing a total shutdown, both UTAG and government are entrenched in their positions – a resolution seems far away.

President of USAG, Dr Phillip Armah, says the seeming lack of communication from university authorities and the government over the strike is worrying as the situation has compelled many students to go home.

“If we do not hear anything positive this week, if it has to take us to organise series of protests in our campuses, we wouldn’t shy away from that. Whoever needs to listen has to listen. We have paid fees, and we demand to be taught.

“We cannot spend three weeks in school, and all that we do is to eat, sleep, and do nothing. A lot of our students have left, we don’t have any communication from anybody. So students are left stranded, and their frustration keeps day in, day out,” he lamented.