Accra, May 20, GNA - Four students are seeking an order of perpetua= l injunction against authorities of University of Ghana (UG) and two others=
from taking any steps to shut down or convert Commonwealth Hall into a graduate mixed hall from 2010/2011 academic year.
The students are also seeking a declaration that students from Commonwea= lth Hall did not participate in the March 13, 2010 disturbances which took pl= ace at the university campus. They contended that university authorities' decision to close down the h= all following the event of March 13, 2010 captured by the university's letter=
dated March 28, 2010 was discriminatory, arbitrary, capricious, unfair, illegal and abuse of discretion.
The students were therefore; seeking a declaration that Professor Kwesi Yankah, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University and the University's Execut= ive Committee did not constitute the Governing Council and could not expressl= y or imply that by the letters usurp powers of the Governing Council by shutting down the hall or converting it. In a motion for injunction and supporting affidavit, the students were a= lso demanding damages for defamation as well as cost.
The students who proceeded to the High Court on behalf of members of Jun= ior Common Room (JCR), Commonwealth Hall are: Joshua Laari, Emmanuel Nketia, Frederick Owusu Prempeh and Kofi Asante Sampong. The two others joined in the suit are Professor Kwesi Yankey, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University and University's Executive Committee. When the case was called before an Accra Fast Track High Court presided over by Mr Justice K.A. Ofori-Atta, the matter was adjourned to May 28.
This is to enable the university authorities and the other two defendants be served with the motion for injunction and the supporting affidavits. In the statement of case filed by the students, they admitted that on March 13, this year the university authorities held its congregation at which deserving students were presented with certificates.
They said it was reported from the congregation grounds that an incident occurred which caused embarrassment to Busumuru Kofi Anann, Chancellor of the University and other dignitaries.
On March 15, the students said a meeting was held during which the Hall Master and Senior Tutor of Commonwealth Hall were present and the Executi= ve Committee decided to convert Commonwealth Hall, the only hall for men int= o mixed hall of residence.
They said they had called for a review of this decision but that had not=
yielded any results. The students said they had followed up to the Office of the Vice Preside= nt and Governing Council of the University but to no avail. On May 10, this year, they said the university authorities "belatedly an= d as an afterthought stated that the decision to close down the hall was no= t as a result of March 13 events." "The defendants' decision to close down the hall was based on the university authorities' letter dated April 28, "they added. In the said the letter, the students said the university authorities rel= ied on the March 13 and other previous incidents before taking the decision. "The decision to close down the hall on the various incidents was discriminatory and breach of Article 17 (2) and (3) of the 1992 Constitution," they added. The students said decision by the three defendants in exercising their discretion, should be fair, candid and not capricious or biased either by=
resentment, prejudice or personal dislike. They contended that on May 18, this year, members of a sub-committee pai= d familiarisation tour to the hall as part of their "grand illegal plan to convert the hall into mixed hall of residence". The students said unless the defendants were restrained they would proce= ed with "unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional intention and actions to frustrate and deprive them of their legal and constitutional rights".
