Lawyer Akufo Defends UG..."They've The Right To Charge Road Tolls"

The University of Ghana has been criticized lately for its decision to introduce user charges for all vehicles entering its campus. The authorities of the university announced that with effect from February 1, 2014, all vehicles entering the main campus and those using the road passing through the Staff Village would be required to pay a user charge. Private vehicles are to pay GH�1 per entry while taxis and other small commercial passenger vehicles would be required to pay GH�2 per entry. The Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University said the charges were too exorbitant. Subsequently, two students of the University of Ghana have sued the institution at the Supreme Court over the road tolls. They are praying the Supreme Court to stop the university from charging the said road tolls. Nonetheless the charges have already taken effect, while the debate as to whether or not it is legitimate continues. Kwame Akufo, a private legal practitioner in an interview on �Kokrokoo� said it was lawful for the university to embark on such an action. He said even though the university is not a private entity they have the right under the existing laws (University Act 806) to limit and control the people who come to the university in a �reasonable manner�. �The tolls act is only applicable to public roads but that of the University of Ghana is not public and so in the first place the Tolls act itself is not applicable to rules in the University. There is no law that restricts them�any institution of intellectual scholarship like the University, operates under an academic freedom which comes with a lot privileges�the university has full authority to regulate the use of its properties including tolling the roads,� he indicated.