Student’ leaders at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology are blaming the Ghana Tourism Authority for the spate of robbery incidents befalling students staying off the school campus.
Some students were robbed of laptops and mobile phones on Wednesday in a hostel which the Student Representative Council (SRC) described as sub-standard.
A visit to five hostels around Ayeduase and its environs revealed notices of closure boldly pasted at the entrances.
However, the facilities are inhabited by students. Some of the robbery victims say though they live in fear, they have no option than to continue staying in these hostels.
“Around 4 am that fateful day, we heard a knock on our door so my roommate thinking it was one of his friends but when we opened the door it was a guy with a gun.
“He forced us to lie down and pointed a gun at us and asked we bring our laptops and phones. We had four laptops and three phones and they made away with all of them. However we thank God they didn’t hurt any of us.
“We have seen some notices at the hostel that it has been closed. But We have no option because there are no empty hostels around that is why we are still here even after the robbery.
The Ghana Tourism Authority has a mandate to ensure hostels meet stipulated standards. SRC President at KNUST, Caleb Fugah, has accused the authority of neglecting its duty.
“The information gathered is that GTB who have gone to paste those notices have taken bribes and therefore failing to enforce what they are supposed to do.
“We are calling on the Ghana Tourist Board that started the move should wake up, persist and continue the work they started. They must ensure that these hostels meet the necessary requirements. “All what these hostels are interested in is our money,” he concluded.
He added that in the face of all these, the university in his power has put in measures to curb the situation. These include patrol teams which keep watch at night but the private hostels must step up. Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Tourism Authority, Ekow Sampson has however debunked the allegations.
He says it is an ongoing exercise and that the notices are the first face.
The law of the land states that before any legal action is taken, a notice must be issued in that regard.
Mr. Sampson believes they are going by the laws of the land the reason they have given what he says is a human face to these hostels.
The regional director continued further action will be meted out to those who have fallen short.
“In doing that we expect them to respond and if they don’t we are going to prosecute them.
“I promise you this is not an exercise we are going to stop and it is not only KNUST. We have a programme lined up to cover all hostels in Kumasi because we believe what happened at KNUST could happen elsewhere.
“We have not neglected our duty but it is a means to make the whole exercise holistic,” he said.
