UPSA SRC Warns Female Students Over Accommodation Stress as Ghana Student Housing Crisis Deepens

The Women’s Commissioner-elect of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) SRC, Priscilla Samari, has raised concerns over worsening mental health challenges among female students, linking the situation to Ghana’s growing student accommodation crisis marked by skyrocketing hostel fees, limited on-campus housing, and poor living conditions.

The discussion was featured on Metro TV’s Home Owners Show, which focused on the wider student housing crisis affecting major universities including the University of Ghana (Legon). The programme highlighted how rising demand, limited space in official halls, and increasing private hostel charges have intensified pressure on students and parents. Reports around the 2025/2026 academic year indicate sharp increases in hostel fees, with some private and semi-private facilities charging several thousand cedis for shared rooms and significantly higher amounts for single rooms with added facilities, especially in areas around Legon.

On the panel were key stakeholders including the President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Rashid Ibrahim Esq., UPSA SRC Women’s Commissioner-elect Priscilla Samari, and housing policy expert Dr. Hanna Atiaise, while lead producer Nii Lantei Lamptey also promoted the episode, calling attention to the urgency of the issue.

Speaking during the programme on Saturday, May 2, 2026, Ms. Samari explained that many students are now forced to spend excessive time and resources searching for affordable accommodation, which is affecting their academic focus and increasing emotional stress. She noted that the financial burden of securing housing is contributing to anxiety and depression among female students, with some reportedly resorting to risky coping mechanisms to survive.

She further highlighted overcrowding in student residences, where rooms designed for about four occupants are now housing six to eight students, resulting in reduced privacy, discomfort, and difficulty in studying. She added that such congested conditions also raise concerns about the spread of communicable diseases.

The programme also explored broader structural issues, including the imbalance between demand and supply, rising operational costs for private hostel owners, and calls from students for stronger regulation of off-campus accommodation. Some student groups have also petitioned regulatory bodies such as the Rent Control Department, urging intervention to address excessive fee increments and poor standards.

Ms. Samari stressed that the situation is pushing many students into difficult living conditions that threaten both their mental well-being and academic performance, calling for urgent stakeholder action to address Ghana’s student accommodation crisis.