KNUST Re-Opens In 14 Days, Gov’t Dissolves Governing Council

Barring any last-minute hitches, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) would be opened to students again in the next 14 days.

This follows the closure of the university early this week as a result of student unrest on the campus of the university leading to vandalization of property.

The announcement of the re-opening of the KNUST yesterday left in its trail the dissolution of the Governing Council of university.

Mandate

The dissolved council has been replaced with a seven-member Interim Council, which in the meantime, will direct affairs until the situation normalises.

The Interim Council, chaired by Nana Effah Apenteng, Paramount Chief of the Bompata Traditional Area, has a three-month tenure.

Other members of the council are Prof. Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson, Dr. Edward Baffoe-Bonnie, Madam Hilda Haggar Ampadu, Prof. Joshua Ayarkwa, Mrs. Abena Antwi and Mr. Kelvin Sah.

The IMC is mandated to assume the power of the governing council, establish the causes of the recent student riot on campus and to establish the full extent and cost of damage caused.

The council also has the task to resolve the differences between university management and the student body.

A statement issued by the Education Ministry said the interim Council will oversee the reopening of the University in 14 days.

“Government’s immediate priority is to expedite the reopening of the university to ensure a smooth return to academic work. This view is shared by the university’s lecturers.

“Government is also mindful of an adverse international image the country would suffer if the university remained closed for a protracted period, especially given the substantial number of foreign students at KNUST,” the statement read.

However, government has been reminded by the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) of the fact that, without first resolving the relevant matters, it would be unsafe to reopen the university.

Background

It would be recalled that a peaceful protest by the students last Monday turned violent, prompting the Ashanti REGSEC to order the indefinite closure of the University.

While management argued that there had been acts of wayward behaviour, hooliganism and incidents of violence on campus, hence the need to take steps to protect life and property, the student leadership stressed that the issues go beyond the policy to convert all the halls of residence into mixed sex halls.

It emerged further that the students felt oppressed by some policies of the university authorities and that they had perpetually lived in fear.

They claimed they did not have enough avenues for conflict resolution and dialogue with the authorities, a situation that resulted in the breakdown of trust between students and the authorities.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey