The University of Cape Coast has become virtually empty after management gave students up to Saturday March 21 to go home on the back of closures of all schools and universities following the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
Students have complied with the ‘go home!’ directive leaving behind a ghost campus.
Many tertiary students across the country could not hide their joy when the directive came last Monday; a feeling expressing the sense that they would not worry about tests, presentations, assignments and lectures until further notice.
In line with the President’s directive, the executive committee of the academic board at UCC suspended academic activities with effect immediately, pending further notice.
A visit to some residential halls on Sunday March 22, showed entrances to residential halls were closed.
At Casford Hall, Valco Hall and Kwame Nkrumah Hall which accommodate thousands of fresh students, the gates were locked, restricting access to these facilities.
The Valco Trust Hall for graduate students, the University Alumni Hall and the SNNIT Hostel of the Ghana Hostel Limited where international and exchange students among others stay, had no signs of students presence.
WASSCE candidates from the University Practice SHS had also returned home following the suspension of WASSCE timetable.
The ‘go home!’ move by the university is to among other things fast-track the social distancing precautionary measure from the World Health Organization.
Some continuing students have opted to remain in their private hostels in communities around the university campus although learning facilities are closed.
Lecture theatres, laboratories and libraries remain closed since Monday March 16.
The C. A. Acka Lecture Theatre Complex and the Faculty of Law lecture hall among others which are often busy during weekends were keyed.
No students were spotted at the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. The situation was no different at the Arts and Social Sciences blocks where students usually access free university WiFi.
Activities at the university food, stationery and printing market were also on their knees on Sunday.
By Spencer Kwabena Boateng Mensah|3news.com|Ghana