The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) of the University of Ghana have revealed that a letter has been written to the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to seek approval for increment in Development levy.
This is contained in a press release dated January 16 and jointly signed by Richmond Ofori Larbi, President, UGSRC and Sadick Abubakari President, GRASAG–UG.
“We wish to inform the public that a formal letter has been submitted to the Honourable Minister of Education requesting approval of the Development Levy amounts agreed at the ministerially facilitated consultative meeting held on Thursday, 8 January 2026,”a portion of the press release reads.
The meeting was convened to discuss the 2025/2026 Academic Year fees and charges and was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), University Management, the Chair of Council, and recognised student leadership.
The UG SRC AND GRASAG said the outcome of the meeting “demonstrate that significant concessions were made by student leadership during
the consultative process, particularly with respect to the initial levy proposals. These adjustments were accepted in good faith in the interest of consensus, affordability, and institutional stability. Our submission seeks to uphold the outcomes of that meeting and restore alignment with the
consensus reached by all parties.”
Please read full statement below:
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) of the University of Ghana wish to address public concerns regarding the Students’ Development Levy increment and to reaffirm our commitment to improving student welfare through
practical, student-led solutions.
We wish to inform the public that a formal letter has been submitted to the Honourable Minister of Education requesting approval of the Development Levy amounts agreed at the ministerially facilitated consultative meeting held on Thursday, 8 January 2026. The meeting was convened to discuss the 2025/2026 Academic Year fees and charges and was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), University Management, the Chair of Council, and recognised student leadership.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the following agreements were reached:
1. The SRC Development Fund Levy – GHS200 (representing a GHS100 increase; 50% reduction
in proposed GHS200 increment)
2. The GRASAG Development Fund Levy – GHS350 (representing a GHS100 increase; 50%
reduction in proposed GHS200 increment)
3. The Telecel Broadband Bundle – to be made optional for all students.
4. SRC Dues – GHS50.
5. The 75th Anniversary Levy – not discussed at the meeting.
These outcomes demonstrate that significant concessions were made by student leadership during the consultative process, particularly with respect to the initial levy proposals. These adjustments were accepted in good faith in the interest of consensus, affordability, and institutional stability.
Our submission seeks to uphold the outcomes of that meeting and restore alignment with the consensus reached by all parties.
Student Governance and Democratic Decision-Making
The SRC and GRASAG operate under democratic governance structures. The General Assembly of the SRC and the Senate of GRASAG are the highest decision-making bodies of the student unions, and resolutions passed by these bodies are binding on all students. The increment to the Students’ Development Levy was fully discussed and formally approved by the two bodies in an extra-ordinary Joint General Assembly on 6th August 2025.
Why the Students’ Development Fund Matters
The Students’ Development Fund (SDF); originally established in 2022 and recently consolidated from the SRC and GRASAG Development Funds, is a student-owned and student-managed fund, with oversight support from University Management. It exists to finance capital and service-oriented
projects that directly improve student welfare, particularly in areas where public funding has been insufficient.
A central focus of the Fund is addressing the severe and persistent accommodation burden faced by students of the University of Ghana. While tuition at the University remains comparatively affordable, accommodation costs have become the dominant financial pressure on students and
their families.
Current estimates indicate that accommodation costs constitute more than three times the cost of tuition and academic-related fees for the average student of the University of Ghana.
This imbalance places an unsustainable burden on students and increasingly undermines access, equity, and the quality of the learning experience.
The Hostel Project and Current Delays
In response to this reality, the SRC and GRASAG initiated the Agenda for Sustainable Student Accommodation Projects (ASSAP), beginning with a 2000-bed student-owned hostel facility.
University Management has allocated a five-acre parcel of land, audits of the Fund have been completed, and architects have been engaged. The project was scheduled to commence in February 2026.
However, the lack of finality on the agreed levy amounts has stalled project mobilisation, directly affecting implementation timelines and increasing the risk of cost escalation. Without adequate and predictable funding, the project-and the relief it promises to students struggling under the high cost of accommodation-cannot proceed as planned.
Why Increasing Bed Spaces Matters
The core objective of the Students’ Development Fund is not to increase costs for students, but rather to reduce the cost of accommodation over time. By increasing the supply of student-owned bed spaces, the University can:
1. Reduce dependence on expensive private hostels;
2. Introduce affordable pricing benchmarks;
3. Moderate rental costs around campus; and
4. Ease the overall financial burden on students and their families.
In this sense, the hostel project is not optional-it is necessary.
A Global and Responsible Approach
Student-led welfare initiatives are not unique to the University of Ghana. Across the world, including institutions such as Harvard, Howard, and other leading universities, students have collectively funded accommodation and welfare infrastructure when existing systems proved inadequate.
These initiatives are widely recognised as responsible, forward-looking responses to genuine student needs.
Students as Solution Providers
This Fund is not an act of protest, nor an attempt to shift responsibility unfairly. It is a pragmatic response to years of underinvestment in tertiary education housing, despite the best efforts of successive governments faced with competing national priorities. Rather than relying solely on
demonstrations or demands, student leadership has chosen to partner, innovate, and take responsibility.
Today’s student leaders are not problem creators-we are problem solvers.
Our Assurance
The SRC and GRASAG remain committed to transparency, accountability, and open engagement with students, parents, the University community, government, and the general public. The Students’ Development Fund is managed by students, for students, with clear governance structures
and oversight.
We are confident that, once fully supported, this initiative will:
1. Ease the accommodation burden on students by increasing affordable bed spaces.
2. Reduce reliance on high-cost private hostels;
3. Improve student safety, wellbeing, and academic performance; and
4. Contribute positively to the long-term development of tertiary education in Ghana.
GOD BLESS THE SRC & GRASAG.
GOD BLESS THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA.
GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA AND MAKE HER GREAT AND STRONG.
Signed:
Richmond Ofori Larbi, President, UGSRC
Sadick Abubakari President, GRASAG–UG
