The Security office at the University of Ghana is greatly understaffed, this is according to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ebenezer Owusu Oduro.
He said, inadequate security personnel has been a major challenge to the University in the implementation of strategic document on security to combat all security challenges on campus.
“The University has also recently put together a strategic document to combat security challenges on our campus. A major constraint however has been the fact that the security office is greatly understaffed,” Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu said and added that, “management of the University is however working assiduously to find avenues to improve the current staffing situation”.
He stated that despite this challenge, security on campus has improved tremendously in recent times.
Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu said this, in his address at the November 2016 congregation ceremony held over two days for students who have successfully completed their programmes of study in the 2015/2016 academic year.
The Vice Chancellor also disclosed that the University organized sensitization programmes or face-to-face discussions to create security awareness and consciousness among students and other members of the University community in their efforts to ensure maximum security on campus.
He further noted that, an “Academic Freedom Arch” is currently under construction on the road from Okponglo to the university campus which is now known as “Academic Freedom” road to serve as a security post.
“The arch which is under construction will be completed to create the Academic Freedom Arch,” he said and emphasized that this will only serve as a security check point and not a toll collection point.
“Let me emphasize that the arch is to serve purely as a security post and not as a toll booth,” he stressed.
It may be recalled that management of the University in 2014 under the leadership of former Vice Chancellor, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, introduced toll collection point at this particular spot on the Academic Freedom road. The toll, management explained would be used to service a loan facility it had contracted to construct its roads was not well received by the general public especially those who ply the road forcing the National Security Coordinator, Col Gbevlo Lartey (retd) and his team to demolish uncompleted structures put up by the University for the purpose of collecting toll from motorists.
Col Gbevlo Lartey (retd) claimed the booths were creating public nuisance.
Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu used the opportunity to thank the Regional and District Police Command as well as National Security for beefing up their security efforts, volunteering security briefs, and helping maintain law and order on campus.
