Campus life?

It is true that life on our university campuses is far different from those most of experienced in "the good old days". Times have changed and ways of doing things have changed. The letter below from the JCR President of University Hall (Katanga, UST) to the GHANAIAN CHRONICLE gives an insight into campus life in the Ghana of 1995.

Re: The lurking danger at UST

It is not clear whether one Yeboah Sraha, whose letter was published in the May 4, 1995 edition of the "Chronicle" wrote out of calculated mischief or sheer ignorance of certain events on UST campus. In any case, the distorted information which he sought to feed readers with must be corrected.

First of all, the "drama" did not start from the Inter-Hall athletics meetings as he wants the public to believe, but was rather triggered off by the motion to impose sanctions on the University Hall (Katanga) for abstaining from the last students "Aluta". This motion was passed on the morning of Saturday, March 25, by the SRC for enforcement by the various JCRs. It was in the afternoon of the same day that fighting broke out to disrupt the athletics competition.

It is not surprising that the writer failed to mention that hordes of members of Unity and Republic Halls came to the Paa Joe Stadium wielding clubs and carrying buckets filled with stones and that they had actually held a meeting the previous day and decided to attack University Hall members at the stadium. He obviously belongs to their fold.

I do not want to hold brief for the UST authorities, but I wish to inform the rather ignorant writer that, a committee

to investigate and come out with the remote and immediate causes of the disturbances as well as come out with recommendations as to how to forestall any such future occurrences has been set up. This was upon the suggestion of the committee of Hall Masters and Senior Tutors and upon the insistence of the SRC President, the Queen's Hall President and the Republic Hall Secretary.

As for the VC not giving approval for the imposition of the

sanctions, I am sure the authorities are competent enough to come out with their reasons for such a decision.

The much bandied-about view that the night soil smeared in Republic Hall on April 9, was done by Katangese, is a fallacious motion akin to ARGUMENTUM AD HOMINEN in that it is borne out of ingrained dislike and prejudice. After all, is Katanga the only Hall with a lavatory on UST campus?

That law and order seems to have broken don on campus, is more manifest by the way certain people calling themselves "Universal Soldiers" and behaving like Toy Soldiers, go about threat s against people. How can there be law and order when certain "Cadets" take it upon themselves to hurl stones at us anytime we go on a procession.

And, please, stop assassinating the character of our 100m athlete, because all he did was to beckon us to cheer them and this is not alien to athletes and athletic competitions. Katangese do not need anyone to incite them into action when an obvious injustice is being carried out.

I hope the writer realises that, we in UST cannot contribute positively to the technological advancement of the nation if the likes of him take delight in feeding the public with deceitful and prejudiced information.

B. Appiah Gyebi, JCR President, University Hall, UST, Kumasi.