Students of the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), Institute of Journalism, have raised concerns about accommodation challenges and road safety at the North Dzorwulu campus in Accra.
The concerns were highlighted during a press engagement held on March 27 between the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the media.
UniMAC is made up of three institutes – the Institute of Journalism (IJ), the Institute of Languages (IL), and the Institute of Film and Television (IFT). In all three of these institutes, there are no hostels or accommodation, which students say is a major problem.
According to them, many students are forced to seek housing off campus, often at high costs and in locations far from the school.
Road safety was also a major issue discussed, especially following the recent death of a student in a road accident near the Dzorwulu campus.
The student, identified as Nelson Blay Narkotey, a Level 300 top-up journalism student, reportedly lost his life while crossing the road near the 335 area.
SRC President, Moses Desire Kuoyo, described the incident as a painful loss to the institution.
“That moment that came with the tragic passing of Nelson Blay Narkotey… he embodied the very ideals this institution seeks to cultivate. On that day, his journey was cut short,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the SRC representative, Jeffery Fiifi Annan, highlighted the accommodation crisis facing students.
“At the Institute of Journalism, where I serve, students have shared stories of daily struggle. The available hostel facilities simply cannot keep up with our growing numbers,” he stated.
He added that many students are pushed into private hostels and rented rooms off-campus, which are often expensive, far away, and sometimes unsafe.
Other representatives, including Adjeivi Enyam Faith and Noelle Kharyne Yalley, also shared their concerns and called for urgent attention to both accommodation and road safety issues.
Noelle Kharyne Yalley, a journalist and Public Relations Officer for the UniMAC SRC, also stated, “At UniMAC, we are not just training communicators, we are building a community that must be heard and supported.”
Some students also shared their personal struggles.
“I pay GH₵6,900 a semester, but now my parents cannot afford it, so I come from home,” one student said.
Students are therefore appealing to authorities to take immediate steps to improve safety on roads around the campus and address the accommodation challenges.
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