John Mahama 'masterminded' chaos at KNUST - Wontumi alleges

Ashanti Regional Chairman for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako affectionately called Chairman Wontumi has accused former President John Mahama as the brain behind the recent chaos at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

According to him, the unrest at the University is as a result of the Vice Chancellor's exhibition of poor leadership backed by political influence from former President Mahama.

His comments comes on the heels of the tension that erupted at the KNUST which resulted in the destruction of both private and public properties by students following the brutalization of some students by the school's security personnel for disregarding school directives.

Speaking with Boamah Darko on the 'Maakye' morning show on Hot FM, Chairman Wontumi who condemned the behaviour of the students also believes the violent acts exhibited by the students was generated by the school authorities decision to convert all traditional halls into mixed halls without proper stakeholders consultation, an act he defines as a political agenda by the Vice Chancellor and fueled by John Mahama.

"I went to school at Prempeh College and we know it is traditionally a boys school, so when the decision comes for Prempeh college to convert into a mixed school, it will not be anything bad except that, such a decision should be consulted properly with the student body and and all stakeholders in order to prevent indifference and misunderstanding as we are witnessing now at KNUST and a university has major stakeholders who needs to be included in all decision making concerning the school so it is not a place for a single person or body to be autocratic although I do not blame anyone but John Mahama who wants to do whatever it takes to use his political influence to cause confusion in schools."



"He is the one behind the Vice Chancellor's conducts which has now escalated. I do not support violence so I condemn what the destruction the students caused but their behaviour was clearly due to the sole decision of the university authorities to convert a single hall into a mixed one even after there was fierce opposition from the students" He noted.

He however added that he was going to stage a demonstration to seek for the dismissal of the Vice Chancellor if he does not resign from his post.

"The Vice Chancellor should resign because if not for the involvement of the regional minister or REGSEC things would have gotten worse, so as the school has been shut down it would be prudent for the vice chancellor to resign since all these happened due to his using his work for political purposes."

Meanwhile in a swift rebuttal, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former Ashanti Regional Minister Joseph Yamin could not fathom why Chairman Wontumi would blame John Mahama for the university authority and the government's failure to address the issue from the start.

"The most prudent thing to do is for the regional minister and REGSEC members to resign since they were to ensure security in the school when the students made their intention to demonstrate public so when you create all these lapses and turn around to blame John Mahama, then that is sad," he said.