President Akufo Addo has summoned the National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, and Education Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh to a meeting over recent developments at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The two ministers are expected brief the president on the situation and also inform him about measures that have been put in place bring matters to rest.
Hundreds of students of KNUST on Monday staged a protest against what they described as a rule of tyranny and oppression by the management of the school.
The protest however turned violent later, leading to the students destroying about 30 cars and other properties.
They also burnt a number of motorbikes, broke into and ransacked some administrative offices and defaced the school walls.
The development has received mixed reactions as some Ghanaians including alumni of the school have commended the students for what they describe as a show of bravery and courage to fight against the unfair treatment being meted out to them by the management.
Others have criticized the students for turning what was supposed to be a peaceful protest into a violent one that resulted in them destroying several properties.
Although the protest is said to be directly as a result of the alleged brutalization of some students by campus security when they were holding a “morale session”, it has been linked to the fracas between management of the school and some students over the conversion of two all-male halls into mixed halls.
Some alumni of two of the halls being affected by the conversion at KNUST had earlier petitioned Akufo-Addo over the matter and asked him to intervene.
The school has been closed down indefinitely following a directive by the Ashanti Regional Security Council, REGSEC, in consultation with school management.
Only foreign students are to stay on campus under protection.
KNUST protest a necessary evil; we won’t pay for damages – SRC Executive
An executive of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), believes Monday’s violent protest in the school was the only way to drum home their concerns.
According to the executive who spoke on condition of anonymity, no alternative action would have compelled the management to put an end to its abuse to students.
But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, the executive said although the intended peaceful demonstration turned violent, the students had had enough of management’s insensitivity.
“For some time, management run the school without giving credence to students’ leadership. They disregard us in a way and we are just disgruntled. So what happened yesterday was a necessary evil. Let us admit that.”
The executive also absolved the students from any blame for the acts of vandalism adding that the student front will not bear any cost for the destruction.
“If there are any damages the student representative front is not going to pick up or absorb any such cost. It is not our responsibility for causing any damage.”
He attributed the development to what he said were tensions.
“We put out a message for a peaceful march. What ensued was obviously unforeseen. We were going to present a petition and when things escalated there was no one from administration to present it to. Even though we regret what happened, things escalated because of tension in the school.”
