In a bid to prevent the recently resurged COVID-19 virus from spreading across, a group of concerned Level 400 students of the University of Ghana, is preparing to submit a formal petition to the University’s Sports Directorate.
Their aim is to stop the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from holding its National Delegates Conference at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, scheduled to take place from July 17 to 19, 2025.
The students have expressed serious concern over the potential health risks posed by the planned event, warning that allowing thousands of delegates from across the country to gather in one venue could significantly escalate the current COVID-19 situation.
They argue that such a mass gathering would not only endanger students and staff on campus but could also trigger a wider outbreak beyond the university community.
According to the students, the proposed conference would be in direct violation of existing preventive measures and safety protocols issued by the University of Ghana Health Services Directorate.
They emphasized that all precautionary directives must be enforced equally, regardless of the event or institution involved.
On June 23, the University of Ghana Health Services Directorate issued a public alert confirming a resurgence of COVID-19 cases on campus and in nearby areas.
The Directorate urged all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to remain vigilant and adhere strictly to safety measures to prevent further spread.
In response to the alert, the Dean of Students, on June 25, announced the immediate suspension of all social gatherings on campus. This directive affected events organized by various student bodies, including the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), as part of efforts to limit public interactions.
In a subsequent notice issued on June 28, the SRC encouraged students to cooperate fully with the directive and other guidelines, appealing for collective discipline in curbing the resurgence of the virus.
Meanwhile, in Parliament on July 1, the Minister of Health confirmed that the University of Ghana had recorded 107 confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 316 suspected infections.
While he reassured the public that the outbreak was still confined to the university community and had not spread nationally, the situation remains a matter of serious public health concern.
The group of students behind the yet to be submitted petition contends that hosting the NPP’s National Annual Delegates Conference under these circumstances could turn the stadium into a COVID-19 hotspot, undermining the university’s health protocols and the broader national effort to contain the virus.
They are therefore calling on the Sports Directorate, university authorities, and government to take immediate action by engaging with the NPP leadership to reconsider and ultimately suspend plans for the conference.
According to the students, preventing the mass gathering is not only a matter of campus safety but a proactive measure to avert a potential national health crisis that could lead to renewed lockdowns.
The students maintain that this is not a political stance, but a call for responsible leadership and prioritisation of public health.
They argue that, just like student-organized events have been cancelled, the same standard must be applied to external political activities that pose an even greater risk due to the large number of attendees and the diverse geographical backgrounds of the participants.
By Prince Ahenkorah