THE UNIVERSITY BOOKSHOP

The University Bookshop is located at the University Square the University Map and stocks a wide selection of textbooks and other reading material.  Download University Map

COMMUNICATION

Postal Service

The Ghana Post has a branch on the campus. The Legon Post Office is located in the commercial area of the university (opposite Legon Hall), sells stamps, air letter cards, registers letters and accepts mail to be posted to all parts of the world. It also sells greeting cards and other stationery.

Letters/parcels from home should be addressed to:

Student's Name
International Students' Hostel
Room Number
University of Ghana
P.O. Box LG 586
Legon, Accra
Ghana, West Africa

Letters arrive in ISH and are placed in your cubby hole at the Porter's Desk.

When a parcel arrives, you will find a notification card in your cubby hole telling you which Post Office is holding the parcel (usually, Accra North [Nkrumah Circle] - which is a fair distance away from the University). You will need photo ID to claim your parcel and there is a charge. Although the charge is fixed, the charge seems to vary with what the worker seems to think they can get away with charging and may also depend upon whether the person receiving the parcel is perceived as polite.

Telephone Service

Ghana Telecom has placed a number of public phone booths at various vantage points on the Legon Campus. Phone cards are easily available for purchase. Toll free directory assistance for land-line phones dial 160 or 105. Telephone facilities are available in all rooms at the International Students Hostel. Students may sign on for the use of this facility.

The Internet Café at the International Students' Hostel has local/international calling services.

Many people have cell phones. It is free to receive calls on cell phones (even international calls). It is one of the few ways you can be reached by your parents in case of emergency. You may purchase a cell phone (called mobile in Ghana) in Accra (e.g. Spacefon on Oxford Street in Osu) but they don't take credit cards. Some people share a phone to cut costs. Many phones from back home work in Ghana, you just need to purchase a new SIM/"SNAP" card in Ghana for about $15.00 USD.

Business and Communication Centres

A number of businesses and communication centres are located within the university campus. Services provided include local, trunk and international telephone calls, faxes, typing, printing, photocopying and binding services for a fee.

Some centres are:

• The University Guest Centre Reception
• S.R.C. Computer Laboratory, - Akuafo Hall
• African Virtual University, - on top of the University Bookshop
• Balme Library
• Legon Hall (24h broad band operations Above Tyme Out).
• Benx Zola Computer Services – Akuafo Hall Annexe ‘B’
• The Speedster Cyber Café – SRC Union Building
• Queens Cyber Café - International Students' Hostel and Legon Hall

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PLACES OF WORSHIP

The constitution of Ghana guarantees freedom of religion. The University has diverse religious groups some meeting places are listed below:

There is a Buddhist place of worship at the Temple at the Dansoman Estates, behind Club 250 Hotel, in Accra.

HEALTH SERVICES

The University of Ghana runs a 64-bed hospital (including 13 maternity beds) open 24 hours daily. It consists of an outpatient Department, a minor Operating Theatre, a Pharmacy, an X-Ray Department, a Dental Section and a Laboratory.

The hospital is headed by a Director of University Health Services and supported by a team of medical officers, pharmacists, qualified nurses and other health officials.

The hospital provides free medical attention to all members of the university community, namely, students, staff and staff dependants.

In addition the University Hospital runs a clinic for students on the ground floor of the Central Cafeteria Building. This is open between 6.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. each working day.

If you should become sick or injured on campus, you should report at the University Hospital for medical attention.

Other private hospitals where students can attend, if they choose, are the Trust Hospital at Osu, and the Nyaho Clinic at the Airport Residential Area. 

 Information on malaria

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COUNSELLING SERVICE                                                                           

The University of Ghana has a Counselling and Placement Centre purposely set up to supplement other facilities at the University for the promotion of welfare and development of students located next to the Sociology Department at the Commonwealth Hall end of campus.

Competent Specialists are available free of charge to assist students with diverse problems including emotional, psychological and educational problems. As this is a walk-in clinic, appointments are not necessary.

Current information on the Counsellors follows:

BANKING SERVICES

One of the first things students are advised to do on arrival is to put their money in a bank, as it is not wise to carry a lot of cash about.

Opening a Bank Account in Ghana

To open a bank account, you have to provide photocopies of the following documents:

1.   Student identification card
2.   Admission letter
3.   Passport
4.   Two passport sized pictures
5.   Letter from the Dean of your hall of residence

Standard Chartered Bank and Barclays Bank have branches on the University campus (located near University square, 300m from the University’s main enterance). The Ghana Commercial Bank is located across from the main University entrance. Banks operate between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. Monday-Friday and provide several services.

Traveller's Cheques may be cashed but you will need your passport and the maximum allowed at any one transaction is $200.00 US. American Express has only one agent in Accra - Scantravel. Located in Enterprise House on High Street, Ussher Town, Scantravel is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

The Banks operate Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) available 24 hours a day. Barclays and Standard Chartered ATMs accept international transactions using a Visa/Mastercard/Debit/Credit card (there is usually a maximum number of times you may use a credit card for cash withdrawals per week - check with your credit card company before leaving home). Your account is billed with the dollar equivalent of money withdrawn and there's a small fee. Bank cards affiliated with VISA are most widely accepted. The "Cirrus" or "Plus" signs on the back of your bank card are also accepted. ATMs operation is dependent on telephone lines so when the lines are down, communication with the 'Bank master' that facilitates the ATM transactions is lost. When that happens (not infrequently) you will get a message saying that the "ATM is temporarily out of order" or "We regret we cannot offer cash at this moment". When this happens, keep trying at intervals to see if service has been restored.

Western Union services are available from the Post Office on campus for transfer of money to Ghana.
While most Standard Chartered Banks do have Western Union service, the campus branch does not.

Transfering Money to Ghana

You can receive an inward transfer of any amount through the bank even without an account. You will need your passport and some proof of residence. Transfers may be paid in the original currency transferred at a fee of 5% of amount received.

Transfers may be sent to Ghana using WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER or SWIFT (for Standard Chartered Bank).
To receive money through SWIFT at a Standard Chartered Bank (which takes 72 hours) you will need the following information:

SWIFT CODE:   SCBL GH AC
BANK:   STANDARD CHARTERED BANK LTD.
ACCT #:
NAME:
BRANCH:     LEGON
ADDRESS:   P.O.BOX LG 16, LEGON ACCRA GHANA.

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SHOPPING  AND MARKET CENTRES

Several shopping and market centres are located on the campus and its environs. These include general grocery shops, card and gift shops, bookshops, pharmacies and hair salons and barber’s shops.