Student arrested over UG residential policy impasse

Reports reaching e.tv Ghana indicates that a student of the University of Ghana (UG) has been arrested by the police with regard to the ongoing standoff between management of UG and students of Commonwealth Hall over residential placement.

Earlier today, there was heavy security presence at the Commonwealth Hall of UG following a press statement issued by the management of the university; yesterday 11th January 2022 reminding the public of the ban placed on meetings, processions and gatherings. The security officials including officers from the Ghana Police Service and officers of the university’s internal security force were stationed at the various entrances of the hall to ensure unauthorized persons did not enter the hall.

The officers prohibited continuing students, the general public and the media from entering the hall and when asked for the reasons, they mentioned that those were instructions and orders given to them by their supervisors to follow.

The only persons allowed entry were first-year students who had been assigned to the hall. This was however not the case at other traditional halls within the university.

This comes at the back of an interlocutory injunction secured by 8 students of Commonwealth Hall on 6th January 2023 from the High Court Commercial Division, Accra restraining the university from implementing its residential policy decision affecting continuing students of Commonwealth Hall and ensuring that the status quo is maintained as it used to be before UG’s decision on 26th October 2022.

Reporting to e.tv Ghana, Mr. Eugene Boadu, a representative of the student explained that the arrested person is a continuing student of Commonwealth Hall and was part of the students who reported to campus today. According to Mr. Boadu, the District Commander explained that the student was arrested by the university’s internal security officers and transported to the Legon police station on grounds of entering the hall without approval. He added that they were in talks with the commander to ascertain the other facts and demand his immediate release.

Management of UG however on 10th January 2023, acknowledged receipt of a copy of the order for an injunction issued by the High Court, Accra and assured all stakeholders of its decision to respect the court order and also put in place adequate measures to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning. “The University believes that the order was obtained on the basis of inaccurate information.

Accordingly, the lawyers of the university have been instructed to vigorously defend the University in court. In the meantime, the University would like to assure all students, parents, and guardians that while respecting the court order, the University would put in place adequate measures to create a conducive environment for teaching, learning and research”, the statement said.