Koforidua Technical University Facing Accommodation Crises – Vice-Chancellor 

The management of Koforidua Technical University (KTU) is appealing for the construction of additional hostels to enable the University to accommodate an enormous number of the increasing figure of students in need of hostel accommodation.

Currently, the University is able to accommodate less than 10% of the student population in its limited hostel facility, creating inconveniences for the majority of students coming from outside Koforidua.

The University currently has a student population of 8,924 made up of 1,515 BTech students, 6,457 HND students, and 952 Non-HND, professional and technical students. Of this total, 5,354 Students representing 60% are males and the remaining 3,572 students representing 40 % are females.

The Vice-Chancellor of KTU Professor David Kofi Essumang lamented during the 17th congregation of the university on Saturday that “it is regrettable that for many years, KTU has been battling with inadequate infrastructure.

This has become a popular cry by the Vice-Chancellors at each Matriculation and Congregation ceremony of the University.

"It is unacceptable for a University with such a great vision and mandate to have inadequate infrastructure. Residential accommodation for staff members and students remains the greatest challenge facing the University.

"Distinguished Invited Guests, we are making a very fervent appeal to you to assist us to address this problem”.

He added “the increasing student population has been an issue of concern to Management. Out of about 9,000 students, less than 10% can be accommodated on campus at the only GETFund Hostel. More than 80% of the students reside in private rented facilities within the immediate community which are close to campus.  Sanitation facilities in some of these private houses are poor.  

"We are very sad that some of our students could be exposed to health hazards as they live under poor sanitary conditions. We call on the state and interested groups to build another hostel for the University”.

Management of the University is however working towards the completion of a multi-purpose building complex comprising classrooms, offices for lecturers, and an auditorium, as well as large classrooms, is being constructed to increase capacity to accommodate an increasing number of students in each lecture hall.

The Vice-Chancellor said, to meet the health needs of students and staff of the University, the sickbay on campus has been upgraded to a clinic with the employment of 7 new clinical staff members including a Physician Assistant.

In the meantime, a hospital facility is being put up to serve the University community and the public, he added.

William Ofori Akwaboa, Eastern Regional Correspondent