Legon students urge ban on NPP Conference amid COVID-19 resurgence

A group of level 400 students at the University of Ghana is preparing to petition the University’s Sports Directorate to block the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from holding its National Annual Delegates Conference at the UG Sports Stadium from July 17 to 19, 2025.

The students have raised concerns about a possible escalation of COVID-19 cases, warning that allowing thousands of delegates from across the country to gather could worsen the outbreak and potentially spread the virus beyond the university community.

They argue the event would violate preventive protocols issued by the University Health Directorate.

On June 23, the University of Ghana Health Services Directorate announced a resurgence of COVID-19 cases on campus and in surrounding areas, urging students, staff, and visitors to remain vigilant.

Two days later, the Dean of Students suspended all social gatherings, affecting events organized by student bodies, including the SRC and GRASAG.

The SRC, in a June 28 notice, also appealed to students to comply with preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus.

On July 1, during a session in Parliament, the Minister of Health disclosed that 107 individuals within the University of Ghana community had tested positive for COVID-19 out of 316 suspected cases. While he assured lawmakers that the outbreak remains confined to the university and has not yet spread to surrounding areas, the situation has raised significant alarm.

In light of this, a group of concerned students is warning that allowing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to proceed with its upcoming National Delegates Conference on campus could severely worsen the crisis. They argue that such a large-scale gathering could turn the university’s Sports Stadium into a major transmission hotspot, increasing the risk of the virus spreading beyond campus and triggering a possible national resurgence of infections.

The students are therefore appealing to the University of Ghana Sports Directorate, the broader university administration, and national authorities to immediately engage with NPP leadership and halt the planned event. According to them, prioritizing public health and student safety is critical at this time. They stress that if such precautions are not taken, the consequences could be dire, potentially leading to another nationwide lockdown and disrupting academic activities and economic stability.