Western Regional Minister Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah has cut the sod for the construction of a $5 million multi-purpose hostel for the Takoradi Technical University (TTU) to help reduce the accommodation crisis facing the university.

The facility would be constructed by TTU, in partnership with Build It Green Africa, and the modular hostel facility would provide accommodation for 3,250 students.

At the brief ceremony, the minister said the initiative would complement the government’s resolve to provide facilities to enhance teaching and learning in the various tertiary institutions.

He was optimistic that the success of the Free SHS policy, which had increased enrollment from 13,000 to 27,000 in the region alone, was likely to put pressure on the university and the project was coming at the right time.

He, however, implored the parties to ensure that the project becomes a “phase one of many more sets of students accommodation” on campus.

The Vice Chancellor of TTU, Rev. Prof John Frank Eshun, said the project was coming at the right time to ease the pressure on facilities there.

“The completion of this project will help the university reduce students accommodation deficit of about 11,000 to 7,000,” he said.

He further stated that the university’s vision is to give its students a decent accommodation to enhance learning.

He pledged the support of management and the university community to the contractors towards the completion of the projects on schedule.

The Chief Executive Officer of Build It Green Africa, Ernest Amissah, was happy that the project had finally become a reality, adding that the facility would be equipped with modern technology, including solar panels.

-Daily Guide