UCC Gates Accidents: UTAG calls for Immediate action from Authorities
Story: GEORGINA APPIAH
The University of Cape Coast branch of the University Teaches Association of Ghana (UTAG) in collaboration with other unions in the university has called on the government and the Highway Authority to treat the incessant carnage at the West and East gates of the university through motor accident, as emergency and take immediate action towards resolving the problem.
According to the President of UCC-UTAG, Dr Jerry Opoku Ansah “last year a Phd student who was about graduating was knocked down by a vehicle. Immediately the person got down from a car and was crossing to the University, he was knocked down and killed”.
His statement comes after Thursday’s (19th June, 2025) tragic accident at the Westgate of UCC, which killed one person.
Speaking to the media in Cape Coast, shortly after a peaceful protest march, Dr Opoku Ansah noted that “as University professors, we are very much concerned about these incessant road accidents, hence, this awareness demonstration”.
He indicated that they were seeking to drive home the demand to ensure that both East and West gates were well secured with speed ramps.
The Head of Classics and Philosophy Department at UCC, Prof Peter Grant stated that the Institution kept losing people; including breadwinners and those about to start life.
“We had a spelling B contest on campus, students came over to participate and we lost several of them through an accident”, he disclosed.
According to him, experts in the University had suggested the installation of a traffic light in addition to speed ramps to help slow down speeding vehicles.
“The drivers drive recklessly and the only way to stop them is to put these speed limiting devices on the road”, Prof Peter Grant highlighted.
He called on authorities to construct speed ramps on the West and East stretch of the road to avert the situation.
”This is an educational institution so the nature of the road should compel them to do the right thing”, Prof Grant maintained.
“Any delay from authorities would compel us to construct our own speed ramps”, the Classics and Philosophy Professor underscored.
The SRC President of the University of Cape Coast, Abraham Norman Nortey hoped authorities would attend to their plight as soon as possible to secure the two UCC gates.
