Incoming principal officers and Hall Council members of Unity Hall at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), have been urged to build on previous administrations’ achievements, uphold the hall’s traditions and strengthen student welfare.
The Provost of the College of Art and Built Environment, Professor Christian Koranteng, made the call while representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christian Agyare, at a handing-over ceremony at the Unity Hall forecourt.
Professor Koranteng said the incoming leaders’ responsibilities extended beyond holding office to preserving the hall’s history, traditions and reputation, and safeguarding students’ welfare.
“You are not receiving titles, you are receiving a hall with its name ‘Unity’ which is not given carelessly, so receive it carefully,” he said.
Drawing on his professional background as an architect, he described the transition as a critical stage in institutional development, saying an institution’s sustainability depended on how successive leaders managed what had been entrusted to them.
“What becomes of a building is settled less by how well it was built than by how well it was received,” he said, urging the officers to approach their responsibilities with a strong sense of stewardship.
He encouraged them to support students whose difficulties might not be immediately apparent, particularly those far from home, facing financial hardship or struggling academically.
He also urged them to maintain accurate records, work closely with the Hall Master and Hall Tutors, and recognise that leadership was a temporary responsibility that would eventually pass to others.
Professor Koranteng called on students to maintain healthy rivalry among the university’s traditional halls, particularly during sporting activities and other inter-hall engagements.
He commended the outgoing Hall Master, A/Prof. Richard Avuglah, and the Hall Council for overseeing a peaceful electoral process, saying the smooth transition reflected effective supervision and institutional discipline.
In his farewell address, A/Prof. Avuglah thanked University Management, hall officials, student leaders, staff and the wider Unity Hall community for their support during his tenure.
He called on the government, private sector, investors, alumni and other stakeholders to help provide safe, decent and affordable accommodation amid growing pressure on housing at KNUST and other tertiary institutions.
“Unity Hall, originally built in 1968 to accommodate approximately 420 students, now houses close to 2,000 students, with as many as four occupants sharing a room, alongside unauthorised squatters,” he said.
A/Prof. Avuglah said the situation reflected wider accommodation challenges across Ghana’s tertiary institutions and required sustainable solutions.
He highlighted improvements in student discipline and communication between hall management and students, alongside the introduction of a floor representative system to strengthen welfare and address students’ concerns.
The administration also installed cabinets at strategic locations across the hall to improve security and began renovating the washrooms.
He urged the incoming administration to sustain the floor mentoring initiative and complete the renovation project.
The incoming Hall Master, A/Prof. Akwasi Afrifa Acheampong, thanked alumni and other stakeholders for their support and called for their continued involvement in the hall’s development.
He said alumni experience, mentorship, goodwill and collaboration would help advance the hall’s aspirations and support its forthcoming anniversary celebrations.
Professor Acheampong expressed confidence in stakeholders’ support as the new administration took office and stressed the importance of working together to advance the hall’s interests.
He will be supported by the Senior Hall Tutor, Dr Lawrence Gondaar, and Hall Council members, Mr Kwadwo Ntiamoah, Dr Makafui Margaret Tayviah and Dr William Amponsah.
Story: Abigail Ofori
