Vice-Chancellor of the Dr Hilla Limann Technical University, Prof. Elias Nortaa Kunedeb Sowley had expressed worry over the lack of hall of hostel facilities at the university.

He said the lack of hostels and halls of residence for students is not only affecting enrollment of students at the university but prevents students from socializing and learning new things from each other. 

Prof. Elias Nortaa who assumed office as the Vice-Chancellor of the university a month ago stated that his greatest priority is to push for the construction of hostels for the university.

The Dr Hilla Limann Technical University, formerly known as the Wa Polytechnic, right from its establishment almost two decades ago as a diploma awarding institution, had a myriad of challenges.

Most of the premises used for its establishment were either borrowed or rented despite the high number of students enrolled. 

With an increasing student population over the years, the government saw the need to not only relocate the university to a new permanent site but construct lecture halls and halls of residents for the students.

As a result, an edifice that contained several lecture halls, conference rooms and other ancillary facilities was constructed. Students and lecturers at the university, for now, have no worries or concerns about their lecture halls.

However, they have concerns about the construction of a hostel facility that has been abandoned by the contractor and now overtaken by weeds.

Prof. Elias Nortaa Kundedeb Sowley stated he was surprised to learn that the university does not have a hostel facility of its own. JoyNews understands the only hostel facility started stalled on the way.

"Many students will not come if you don’t have a hostel facility. Some even don’t like private hostel facilities, they want to be at an official university accommodation. There is also culture at the university campus which is also part of the learning. You socialize with your colleague, network and do other things," he added.

Construction for a multipurpose hostel for the university by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) started more than 15 years ago and has now been abandoned by the contractor. The site is now overtaken by weeds.    

With the exception of the students who are from Wa, most of the 1,835 Students now rents rooms outside the university campus. Commercial vehicles do not ply the route and as a result, they either attend lectures either on motorbikes, bicycles or walk for at least 2 kilometres to the campus.

Prof Elias Nortaa said his biggest priority is to get the hostel project completed for the university before his tenure ends.

He is therefore appealing to the government and other benevolent organizations to help in that regard.