By Mohammed Musah
16th September, 2021

On Tuesday, 2nd February, 2021, which was eighteen days after resumption of the 2021/2022 Academic Year on Friday, 15th January, 2021, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), through its General Secretary – Mr. Boafo O. Emmanuel, released a communiqué informing the student populace of a temporary closure of the Syndicate Lecture Halls (SH1 – SH8; hereinafter referred to as the SH Block) to pave way for construction work in order to make those lecture halls suitable or appropriate for the academic enterprise.

In view of this, all lectures which were supposed to be held in any of the aforementioned lecture halls on that block were either suspended, reassigned to a new lecture hall or held online. Later during the same day, another circular was issued from the office of the General Secretary informing the students that the SH Block was READY for use. Impliedly, the construction work had been completed in less than 24hours and thus, the SH Block was thenceforth suitable or appropriate for the academic enterprise. But the burning question is, was/is that really the case? What is the present state of the Syndicate Block?

The SH Block is an uncompleted and unpainted 3-storey building which is 100-meters away from the Sawmill Block. The building is roofed though there are neither windows nor doors fixed on any part of it, and this, coupled with the proximity of the thicket just behind the SH Block exposes the Block and its inhabitants to dangerous animal species like snakes and scorpions, and others like fowl, goat and sheep that may encroach the property with ease. These fauna can cause serious harm and even death to inhabitants, or litter the Block with their faeces. Considering the inadequate lighting on the Block, students who go there at night to study may be at a high risk of snake bites or scorpion stings. The building has no proper handrails or banisters. Temporarily, wooden structures have been made to serve as banisters though they are ineffective – with the large spaces in them and how loose or weak and broken these wooden structures are, I doubt if they could prevent a student from an accidental fall. The least said about the dust and intensive heat (when its sunny) in this block, the better. This poses a lot of health risks to the students and can be life-threatening especially to asthmatic students.

Despite all these alarming issues, it appears the students have no option than to continue using the block due to the inadequacy of infrastructure on campus. Yes, there might not have been any recorded case of an accidental fall, asthmatic attack, snake bite or scorpion sting or any other life-threatening issue yet but must we be reactive instead of proactive? Must we sit back with folded arms or arms akimbo and indifferently watch somebody lose their life before measures will be put in place to protect lives? Pursuant to Statute 80(1)(c) of the University Statutes, it’s an offence punishable by law for anybody to create a condition that jeopardizes the health or safety of others in the University. It reads, _”No employee or student of the University shall create a condition that unnecessarily endangers the health or safety of other persons.”

Buildings and other structures like the SH Block are under the authority of the University Management, specifically under the supervision of the Estate and Works Departments who are employees of the University.

Deductively, would it be wrong to say that these employees (those who supervise work on buildings and structures on campus) are, through the SH Block, creating a condition that unnecessarily endangers the health and safety of the UENR students? And who supervises the supervisor? Do the laws only work in UENR when students are caught in examination malpractice or when they default in payment of fees? The laws MUST work without fear or favour! The laws must work! I doubt that the University Management is waiting to be put on its toes by an occupiers’ liability suit against the University when harm befalls somebody at the SH Block.

”Mud on campus, dust in lecture halls! No Chairs, No Tables! No lecture halls, Poor lecture halls!”

this is the cry of students on campus. What then is the purpose of the about GH¢ 390.00 for Academic Facility User Fee (AFUF) as a component of the fees schedule paid by over 10,000 students every academic year if such pertinent issues cannot be mitigated to create a conducive atmosphere for the ordinary UENR student to pursue their academic enterprise?

Are the University authorities indifferent to this plight of students on campus because they sit in air conditioned offices well illuminated and well-secured with aluminium doors and windows, and do not run around for furniture?

Are students enjoying these facilities in other tertiary institutions like UHAS better or more human than UENR students?

Are the authorities managing other tertiary institutions like UHAS where these facilities are not a luxury to students but rather a necessity better than those in UENR?

If No, then indeed it is TIME for the UENR Renaissance! Action Not Rhetoric is the battle cry! Students of UENR arise!

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