Accra, Aug. 1, GNA - The Executive Committee of the University of Ghana on Monday asked the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University to submit to it a formal petition outlining students’ concerns on the proposed fees for redress.

Hundreds of students from the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, hit the streets of Accra last week to demand a reduction in what they described as “high” academic and residential facility user fees charged by the University authorities for the 2011-2012 academic year.

The Committee said contrary to the impression that was given to the public that students had exhausted all the internal avenues available for addressing their concerns; they had in reality not submitted a formal petition outlining their grievances to the Executive Committee at the time of the meeting that fixed the fees in July.

Briefing the media on the University’s stand in Accra, Professor Kweku Osam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student’s Affairs of the University, said the levels of students’ fees for the 2011-2012 academic year were determined at a joint meeting of the Finance and The Executive Committees of the University held in July 2011.

He said the students were represented at the meeting by the Acting President of the SRC and the President of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG).

He noted that the decision of the meeting as reflected in the levels of the various fees to be paid by the students were subsequently publicised, and notwithstanding the fact that the students had been parties to the decisions, the SRC described it as exorbitant and went ahead to issue public statements to that effect.

Professor Osam stated that the 2011-2012 Academic Facility User Fees (AFUF) had gone up by 10 per cent with other charges such as Technology Service and Health Care, which were charged to students based on cost.

He noted that the services were important to ensure good teaching; learning; research; as well as the general well-being of the large number of students.

Professor Osam said funding had been a major challenge that confronted the institution and that it had been an issue that the University with other universities in the country had been concerned about, adding: “It is welcoming to note that the Ministry of Education has planned a public forum on the matter to take place in the next few weeks.”

Professor Ernest Aryeetey, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said although the Government had in the past paid the electricity bills generated from students’ residences and buildings other than staff housing on campus and streetlights, the University had to pay for the cost of faulty transformers and the acquisition of generators.

He explained that it was the Executive Committee that determined the fees to be paid and that he did not have the authority to fix the fees. He said should it become necessary to review the fees downwards the balance would be credited to the accounts of students for the second semester.

Mr Richard Okyere Boapea, Director, Finance Directorate, said the perception that the University had over the years increased fees by 10 per cent did not represent the true situation.