KNUST VC, dean and security head must step aside – Students

A group calling itself the concerned students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, has calling on some members of the school’s top management to step aside over the recent protest by students.

According to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Citinewsroom.com, the students demanded that the vice-chancellor, dean of students and the head of campus security of the university to step aside and allow an interim body to take over the affairs of the institution.

Many students have blamed the management of the school for the current happenings, following last Monday’s violent protest, which led to the indefinite closure of the school.

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Addressing the media, leader of the group, Yiadom Boakye, said that failure of leadership of the university management was solely responsible for the unfortunate events.

“We call for the following management members (VC, dean of students and the head of security] to step aside.”

“Management has dealt with the students with impunity and total disregard for the rule of law and the democratic dictates. Why will management make unilateral decisions which have a direct consequence on students without consulting students and admitting their inputs”, he asked.

In the heat of the recent unrest, the concerned students have resolved that:

1. Failure of leadership from the university management is solely responsible for the unfortunate events of last Monday, and calls for the following management members (VC, dean of students and the head of security] to be set aside.

2. That there should be the formation of interim management of the university

3. That there is a need for reforms in the policies of the university to reverse the status quo and restore the true independence of the students. The students must control their resources.

4. That the two halls turned into mixed halls should be returned to its previous status

The concerned students further cautioned management on how it handles students' affairs.

“University administration must act in a more accountable and transparent manner to earn the trust of students by allowing independent investigations of errant security officers and the recent incident involving the brutalization of students at the hands of the security in KNUST, Kumasi.”

Management of the university has categorically stated that alumni of the university hall, popularly known as Katanga were behind Monday’s violent demonstration and vandalism in the school.

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Andrews Kwasi Boateng, Registrar of the KNUST, mentioned that the old students of the hall instigated the students to demonstrate as a way of expressing their disapproval to management decisions.

“Information available to KNUST some alumni of the University Hall have been the brain behind this orchestrated and executed vandalism as they came in several buses to participate in the activity”.

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that some aggrieved students of the school were set to demonstrate over the recent brutality meted out on students by security personnel at the University.

The student body decided to boycott classes on Monday, October 22, 2018 as a way of registering their displeasure with happenings on campus.

However, vice-chancellor of the school, Professor Kwasi Obiri Danso, in a broadcast text message to all students, called on them to disregard the decision to boycott their lectures.

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The students defied the caution from the VC and embarked on the demonstration which led to destruction of school properties and personal belongings of some employees of the school.

Aggrieved students reportedly set the car of the school's Dean of Students on fire as a way of registering their displeasure.

Other private properties were also vandalised by the students who took their frustrations over students' brutality out on campus.

The university has however been closed down indefinitely by the Regional Security Council with meetings already underway to come out with a solution.

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Source: YEN.com.gh