The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has asked the University of Ghana (UG) to reduce the cost of staying in university hostels. He wants the fee to be reduced from GHC 3,000 to GHC 2,500 for both new and continuing students.

On February 6, 2025, Haruna Iddrisu met with the Vice Chancellor of UG, Prof. Nana Aba Amfo, and the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the Ministry of Education in Accra. During the meeting, he made it clear that the fees should be lowered.

“I have asked the Vice Chancellor to reduce the residential facility fees by 25 percent,” he said. “I have also asked her to engage the SRC in the future on any fee announcement.”

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Amfo, responded by saying that the university is ready to follow the Minister’s directive.

“We have listened to you, our Minister, and also our students. We can afford to reduce it by 25 percent across the board. Going forward, there will be adequate student engagement,” she assured.

SRC President Demands Refunds

The President of the SRC, Maradona Adjei Yeboah, a.k.a Guru  welcomed the fee reduction. However, he also requested that students who had already paid the full amount be refunded.

“We are thankful for the reduction. At least it will reduce some burden on our parents. There should be a refund for those who have already paid,” he stated.

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University management revealed that about 80% of students had already paid their residential facility fees before the decision to reduce the cost. This has raised concerns about how refunds, if approved, will be handled.

The reduction in fees is a big relief for students and their families. However, the discussion on refunds will likely continue as students push for fairness in implementing the decision.