University of Ghana blames student leaders for 25% fee hike

The management of the University of Ghana (UG) has distanced itself from the 25% hike in academic fees for the 2025/2026 academic year, attributing the increase to third-party levies introduced by student governance bodies.

According to the university, the increments are driven by fees imposed by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), which have swelled significantly this year.

Speaking in an interview with Citi News, the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Professor Gordon Awandare, explained that the university has limited oversight over the specific charges added by the SRC and GRASAG.

“What is being reported as fee increases relates to third-party fees imposed by student leadership. These are fees approved through their own governance structures and communicated to students over two weeks ago. University management did not impose these fees. If students have issues with these charges, they should take them up with their SRC or GRASAG leadership. These fees are meant to support student programmes and activities,” Professor Awandare stated.

The university administration insists that students should look inward at their elected representatives, who allegedly adjusted their own funding components to reflect the rising costs of running student unions and legacies.

Despite the outcry, Professor Awandare argued that the base fees charged by Ghana’s premier university are still “modest” when weighed against the current economic climate of high inflation and soaring utility costs.

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