Some students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) were Wednesday morning denied access to the two campuses of the school located at Osu-Ringway and Dzorwolu.

The students, who had gone to the school for lectures, were not allowed inside because the gates had been locked.

There was also some police presence to ensure law and order.

The decision to lock the gates, according to the security personnel at the school, was “an order from above.”

It is unclear why the school authorities decided to lock out the students; but it is believed to be in connection with a planned demonstration against the school’s directive to all students who paid their fees after the registration deadline to defer their programmes.

According to a statement issued by the institute on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, "All affected students are to take note of this directive and act accordingly."

Mr Daniel Machator, who is in charge of Public Affairs at GIJ, said the decision was taken following the expiration of the grace period it gave to defaulting students to pay a certain percentage of their fees.

He said the deadline for the payment of fees was extended for about three times but many students did not pay any seriousness to the notices of extension.

The last grace period for the payment of fees expired on February 25, 2021.