Accra, July 30, GNA - Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, Vice-Chancellor of University of Ghana (UG), on Friday inaugurated science laboratory equipment for three departments to help improve academic performance.

In addition, a residential facility was inaugurated to ease student accommodation problems on campus.

Prof. Tagoe said the authorities sourced for funding to replenish the laboratories of Physics, Chemistry and Agricultural Departments with modern scientific equipment

estimated at over six million euros (about nine million dollars).

This is to improve teaching and learning of the sciences which had not been given much attention over the years.

Prof. Tagoe said the authorities were committed to ensure the vision of increasing student population in the sciences to at least 60 per cent with the remaining 40 per cent for the Arts was achieved.

"This would propel Ghana to achieve her goal of becoming a middle income status through the application of science and technology," he added.

Prof. Tagoe later inaugurated a 1,824 bed student's accommodation facility out of four blocks to be constructed.

He commended the contractor for completing the project on schedule and urged others to work hard to complete their contracts by October to achieve the envisaged accommodation for about 7,800 students on campus.

On the financing, Prof. Tagoe said in 2007, the authorities negotiated for a GH¢50 million loan facility inclusive of infrastructural services and furnishing with a consortium of six banks.

These are CAL Bank, Fidelity Bank, Ecobank Ghana, SG-SSB, Agricultural Development Bank and International Commercial Bank.

He said the loan was for the construction of four separate four-storey students' hostel blocks expected to accommodate about 1,600 students in each block, making a total of about 6,400-bed capacity.

Prof. Tagoe said part of the loan facility and the authorities own internally generated funds would be used to construct three other smaller four-storey student's hostels.

He explained that though the cost of building materials and other market changes affected the initial capital, the consortium managed to source additional funding to finance the project and thanked all who contributed towards the realisation of their vision.

In another development, Prof. Tagoe inaugurated an office complex for the University of Ghana Alumni and called for the registration of new members to help raise enough funds for programmes and projects of the University.