Questions are mounting over the University of Ghana’s enforcement of its recently announced ban on all student gatherings, as the institution continues to permit lectures, religious services, and commercial activities on campus raising concerns about inconsistency and transparency in its COVID-19 response.
The university issued two communiqués earlier this week outlining the presence of new COVID-19 cases on campus and introducing a temporary ban on student gatherings to reduce further spread of the virus on campus.
However, according to observations from students and visitors, everyday activities such as in-person lectures, church services, and hostel markets have been allowed to operate without any adherence to established protocols.
This perceived contradiction has triggered backlash from several quarters, including legal professionals and concerned parents.
One such voice, Philip Fiifi Arthur, Esq., a father of a final-year student and a practicing attorney, publicly challenged the University Ghana’s approach in an open letter, demanding clarity and accountability from the institution.
“Leadership particularly in an academic environment must lead by example,” Arthur stated. “You cannot issue a sweeping ban and simultaneously permit the very types of gatherings that pose health risks.”
Arthur posed ten sharp questions to university authorities, seeking clarification on whether lectures were exempt from the ban and why religious and commercial activities continued unimpeded.
He also questioned the role of enforcement team’s potential bias in policy application, and whether the Ministry of Health had been consulted.
He further expressed concern about the signals such selective enforcement might send to students, warning against a culture where rules are bent or ignored based on convenience or privilege.
As of now, the university administration has not publicly responded to the letter.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service confirmed that COVID-19 cases on campus remain mild and under observation, but called for stricter adherence to safety protocols to prevent escalation.
Stakeholders await a formal response as students, staff, and parents seek reassurances in an environment clouded by confusion and mixed messages.
WHY IS THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA VIOLATING ITS OWN BAN ON GATHERINGS? g-1.pdf
