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Work progresses on 10 -storey hostel for UPSA
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Work is progressing steadily on a 10-storey hostel facility being constructed by the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) as part of its special initiative to reduce deficit of infrastructure on campus.
The facility which is scheduled to be completed by December 2021 also forms part of measures to deal with the potential increase in enrolment due to the Free Senior High School (FSHS).
Being undertaken by FT Global Investment Limited, the project when completed will have a total of 416-bedrooms and will be able to accommodate about 1,600 students.
Speaking to the media after a tour of the facility by some selected journalists in Accra yesterday, the Project Manager for the firm, Mr Reuben Akumienu said despite the initial hiccups suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was on schedule.
He explained that even though they had to reduce the number of workers on site in compliance with the safety protocols outlined in the fight against the pandemic, work had still been ongoing.
Mr Akumienu said his company was working with high standards, stressing that “FT Global does not compromise on safety and as a result, reinforcement, best practices and structural integrity is our hallmark. Safety and security of the workers on the project is also assured.”
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the UPSA, Professor Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey said he was working assiduously to resolve the imminent accommodation problem that confronted the university.
He said the university was aiming to attract more of the best Ghanaian and International students in addition to welcoming top students from government’s Free SHS initiative.
Professor Amartey said there was also construction works on going on a 396 room hostel and the completion of the two facilities would go a long way to address the challenges of accommodation in the university.
To complement the infrastructural development, he noted that the UPSA had also enhanced security on and around its main campus and the hostels.
“In the past, the UPSA road had a reputation for frequent robbery attacks within the university campus’ environs and nearby hostels. These incidents have been reduced drastically with the recruitment of more competent private security personnel and the provision of solar streetlights all the way from the main campus to the hostel facilities and beyond. This has reduced the incidents around the UPSA area,” he emphasised.
UPSA is one of the fastest growing Universities and has been ranked among the top universities in the world in the 2020 U-Multirank global universities rankings.
It is the only Ghanaian university to be on the global rankings that assesses universities on a multi-dimensional approach to higher education, including teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, regional engagement and international orientation.
The University of Professional Studies Accra, in that ranking, emerged strongest in teaching and learning. Its overall profile shows top performance across various indicators, with two ‘A’ (very good) overall scores.
By Cliff Ekuful
African leaders have been urged to strengthen political commitment and domestic investment to end preventable maternal deaths and AIDS by 2030.
The call comes as African health ministers and policymakers meet in Accra to deliberate on health financing, health security and universal health coverage across the continent.
Mr Edouard Bizimana, Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the African Union’s (AU) 25th Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra.
He said Africa needed increased domestic investment to build resilient health systems as it continued to grapple with infectious diseases and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Mr Bizimana, who is also Chairperson of the AU Executive Council, said although Africa accounted for nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population, it bore 24 per cent of the global disease burden while having less than three per cent of the global health workforce and only one per cent of global health expenditure.
“Despite maternal mortality declining by nearly 40 per cent since 2000, Africa still accounts for about 70 per cent of maternal deaths globally, while almost two-thirds of people living with HIV reside on the continent,” he said.
Mr Bizimana said the growing burden of NCDs was placing additional pressure on already stretched health systems.
“These figures are not merely statistics. They represent painful human realities, preventable losses and unacceptable inequalities, they remind us that health is not an expense it is a strategic investment and a prerequisite for our sovereignty and development. “he said.
Mr Bizimana said recent global health emergencies had exposed Africa’s vulnerability and underscored the need to expand local production of medicines and vaccines, strengthen the health workforce and improve emergency preparedness.
“Our citizens expect resilient health systems where every mother can give birth safely, every child has access to essential healthcare and every African enjoys quality health services regardless of where they live,” he said.
The two-day summit, being held ahead of the 20th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, has brought together health ministers, policymakers and health stakeholders to identify solutions to Africa’s health financing and security challenges.
Madam Florence Samizi, Tanzania’s Deputy Health Minister, called for stronger collaboration among AU Member States to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
The summit is being held on the theme: “Advancing Justice, Equality and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, Tuberculosis, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa.”
The meeting is expected to adopt the Accra Declaration, a roadmap to strengthen Africa’s health systems and advance health sovereignty by 2030. -GNA
Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Department of Political Science, Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato says the imprisonment of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, will have little meaning unless it leads to a broader crackdown on illegal mining.
In a post on his Facebook page on the July 21, 2026, Dr. Zaato said the judgment should mark the beginning of efforts to completely eradicate galamsey and hold all those involved accountable, regardless of their political affiliation.
He said the country must work towards restoring polluted rivers, protecting forests and ensuring that people implicated in illegal mining activities are prosecuted.
According to him, those the President has publicly acknowledged to be involved in galamsey should face prosecution.
He called for the prosecution of district chief executives (DCEs), members of Parliament (MPs) and senior political party officials who have been accused of engaging in or supporting illegal mining.
Dr. Zaato further urged the government to take decisive action to end the destruction of the country’s forests caused by galamsey.
He maintained that the imprisonment of Chairman Wontumi would only have a lasting impact if it results in a comprehensive and impartial fight against illegal mining across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
