KNUST: Interim Council Won’t Survive – Okudzeto Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the Interim Council formed by the government to handle the affairs of KNUST will not survive.

This he believes comes on the back of UTAG and other stakeholders voicing their displeasure at government’s decision to dissolve the old Council and form an interim one due to the current impasse.

Speaking on Joy FM’s News File, Ablakwa said it will be in the best interest of the government to rescind its decision.

“The Interim Council will not survive because I believe the government rushed with their decision, It will be in the best interest of the government to withdraw its illegal actions, you have about four members of the old Council part of the Interim so what difference does it make”.- he said.

It is still unclear whether the government will change their decision as several parties have expressed dissatisfaction over their decision to form an Interim Council for KNUST.

Katanga Alumni Association blames authorities for protest

Meanwhile, the Katanga Alumni Association condemned the violent conduct of students. The Association however says school authorities are to blame for the situation.

“We wish this did not come this far, but if it gets to a point where the University police or security brutalize students, you get to a point where students want to defend themselves and if it gets there, there is little the Alumni can do and that is why we are trying to negotiate with the University,” Organizing secretary of the Association, Antony Avege said.

Background

The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) led demonstration following the arrest of 10 students and one alumnus of the school.

The Executive Council of the SRC said the demonstration was necessary to end the management’s neglect of students.

The students were arrested for a holding vigil on campus last Friday without permission according to the school authorities.

One other student who was allegedly manhandled by the internal security is currently on admission at the KNUST hospital.The KNUST management however justified the arrests.

The University’s Public Relations Officer, Kwame Yeboah, told Citi News the affected students did not seek permission before undertaking the vigil, contrary to the rules of the university.

“The university thinks certain activities in the night should not be entertained. Some other activities are permitted because the students applied for permission. But there was no permission for last Friday’s activity. The students decided to go their own way. They decided not to obey any rules or regulations on campus, and the law doesn’t permit that. So when it happened, the police were brought in,” he said.