The University of Ghana has officially postponed the start of its 2024/2025 academic year due to ongoing strike actions by various employee groups within the institution.
This decision was announced in a notice from the Office of the Registrar, leaving the new academic calendar in limbo as the university works to resolve the labor dispute.
The rescheduled start date is yet to be determined, though the university has assured stakeholders that updates will be provided in due course.
However, special programs will continue as planned, unaffected by the broader disruption. The strike’s impact extends beyond the academic community, with businesses around the campus preparing for a significant downturn in operations.
Local vendors, housing providers, transport services, and other small enterprises that rely on the influx of students and staff are bracing for the challenges ahead.
The absence of students, particularly those from hostels like Liman, Kwapong, Elizabeth Sey, and Jean Nelson, is expected to hit businesses hard. Popular food spots such as the Bush Canteen and the Night Market at Mensah Sarbah, along with barber shops, salons, bookshops, printing services, and mobile money vendors, are anticipating a sharp decline in customer traffic.
Students who had already arrived on campus, particularly those traveling from regions like the Eastern, Central, and Northern Regions, now face the difficult decision of returning home due to the postponement. The official start of the academic year was previously set for September 26, but with the strike now in effect, both students and local businesses are caught in a period of uncertainty.
The university has yet to provide any details on how the labor disputes will be resolved, but stakeholders are closely monitoring developments as the delay continues to affect the academic calendar and the local economy.
