International students’ hostel,

Jubilee link,
University of Ghana,
Legon Campus,
Accra.

The Dean of International programs,

University of Ghana,
Legon,
Accra.

Dear sir,

THE UNDOING OF THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HOSTEL: A COMPLAINT

ON ITS UNACCEPTABLE STATE OF AFFAIRS

The international programs office was formed with the sole purpose of enhancing the quality
of life of international students in a foreign environment. These students come from all around
the world, pursuing higher education as well as the unique experience of living in a society
different from their own. The international programs office promised a smooth transition into
the university environment, quality amenities for everyday activities and protection from those
that would seek to take advantage of these students and possess intentions that are deemed
malicious and hostile. However, this could not be further from the reality we face regularly.

On the 12th of August, 2021, a robbery took place at International Student Hostel 1 where
numerous phones, wallets and laptops were stolen from students (Aniebiet Inyang
Level 100, Tetamiyaka Okwen Level 100, Adesanya Oreoluwa Jefferson Level 200 and
Osuntade Qudus Opeyemi Level 200, Adam Esegbue level 300) while they slept in their rooms.
These thieves were able to successfully infiltrate the hostel, steal these goods and escape while
the porters and security were on duty to protect. The theft was realized in the waking hours of
the morning at around 4 am and was immediately reported to the porters of the hostel and the
police. This report, however, was met with unresponsive and even accusatory remarks from
the porters - the porters blamed the robbery on the victims' supposed negligence and made
outlandish claims of a student coordinated attack. There has been little progress made in the
direction of resolving this crime and little effort has been made by the international programs
office in terms of compensation for the victims and the enactment of consequences on the
porters. Numerous crimes of this degree have taken place in the international student hostels
and have been met with little to no response, this can no longer be accepted due to the high risk
of lives and properties. To combat this recurring issue, current porters employed should be
discharged on account of poor security operations and response to issues thus stated, with a
new string of porters and security guards employed to ensure efficiency in the protection and
security of the international students. Regular inspection of the overall ability and competence
of the porters should also be encouraged to ensure that no gap in security could allow for a
breach such as those and past experienced. To ensure that all individuals leaving and entering
the hostels are monitored, security cameras should be set up at the entrance of both international
hostels and also at strategic locations around the hostel. All locks on the doors found in the
hostels should also be changed to prevent the use of one key on multiple locks to access the
rooms of the students.

The introduction and implementation of new ideas and resources should not be limited to the
security sector but can be applied to other facilities found in the international student hostel.
Provision of state of the art or at the very least non faulty appliances in the kitchen. Regular
sanitation of the kitchens and public bathrooms found in the hostel is essential in maintaining
public health and preventing the spread of communicable diseases, as well as the conduction
of preventive maintenance checks on the facilities found in these sectors to prohibit damage.
Replacement of old and worn-down fixtures found in the rooms, such as old mesh on the
windows and faulty sockets and fans, should also be implemented.

The international programs office strives for all international students to have pleasant
experiences in the University of Ghana. This can still be realized if the solutions suggested are
implemented permanently in the international hostels. With the coordination and support of all
parties involved, the University of Ghana could be the prime university for international
students across the continent.

Yours sincerely
University of Ghana International students