Tension on Legon Campus

Students, Authorities On Collision Course

After going through the image-denting examination scandal, lawsuits, controversial dismissal of senior officers and a battle over Vice Chancellorship, tension is still mounting at the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon, over what promises to be a showdown between students and the school's authorities.

The uneasy calm at the nation's premier university follows students' protestations over disciplinary actions taken against the presidents of Akuafo, Volta and Commonwealth Halls for their alleged involvement and instrumentality in actions that were taken by groups of students to impeach executives of the Students' Representative Council (SRC) of the institution last semester.

As at yesterday, The Chronicle gathered that the authorities had removed Michael Yirenkyi and Precious Agyare as presidents of the Akuafo and Volta Halls respectively. Mr. Benjamin Akyena, president of the Commonwealth Hall has also had his residential status revoked; thus making him a non-resident Hall president.
It was gathered that in the heat of the controversial SRC election last semester, students from Commonwealth Hall passed a vote of no confidence in the then SRC executives. Subsequently, students from Akuafo and Volta Halls supported the decision of their colleagues in Commonwealth Hall to satisfy the requirements of the SRC constitution for the removal of the student leaders.
The leaders of the Halls were subsequently accused of having masterminded the meetings of their Junior Common Room (JCR) members to pass the vote of no confidence in the SRC executives in a manner that the school's authorities said was contrary to laid-down rules and regulations of the school.
The three student leaders have been reportedly served with letters this semester spelling out the disciplinary measures that had been taking against them.
Students have expressed their frustrations and anger against what they perceive as an attempt by the University authorities to gag and prevent them from exercising their right of removing their own leaders from office if such leaders failed to act in accordance with the students' constitution or when they failed to perform.
Speaking to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity, a number of students also said they saw the current disciplinary action taken against the student leaders as an unjustified interference by the authorities in students' affairs.
Meanwhile, the paper gathered that there would be an explosive students' press conference to be held in the dinning hall of the Commonwealth Hall today, during which student leaders would be registering their protest against the decision of the authorities.
"In fact, we have served notice that if the authorities refuse to rescind their decision, they should not blame any student for any subsequent unrest on the campus of the University," a student told the paper.
It was also gathered that a student group calling itself, Mass Resistance Committee, has served the Legon police with a notice seeking clearance to stage a demonstration tomorrow to protest what they consider as unfair treatment meted out to the student leaders and other related matters affecting the welfare of students of the University.
The dean of students, Dr. B. Yakubu, could not be contacted for his comments on the matter as the paper was told he was out of the office at the time of our visit to the University campus and his two mobile phones were either switched off or out of coverage area.
When contacted, the Acting Director of Public Affairs of the University, Mr. Peter Yarquah, said he could not speak on the issue and advised that the registrar be contacted instead.

Students, Authorities On Collision Course

After going through the image-denting examination scandal, lawsuits, controversial dismissal of senior officers and a battle over Vice Chancellorship, tension is still mounting at the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon, over what promises to be a showdown between students and the school's authorities.

The uneasy calm at the nation's premier university follows students' protestations over disciplinary actions taken against the presidents of Akuafo, Volta and Commonwealth Halls for their alleged involvement and instrumentality in actions that were taken by groups of students to impeach executives of the Students' Representative Council (SRC) of the institution last semester.

As at yesterday, The Chronicle gathered that the authorities had removed Michael Yirenkyi and Precious Agyare as presidents of the Akuafo and Volta Halls respectively. Mr. Benjamin Akyena, president of the Commonwealth Hall has also had his residential status revoked; thus making him a non-resident Hall president.
It was gathered that in the heat of the controversial SRC election last semester, students from Commonwealth Hall passed a vote of no confidence in the then SRC executives. Subsequently, students from Akuafo and Volta Halls supported the decision of their colleagues in Commonwealth Hall to satisfy the requirements of the SRC constitution for the removal of the student leaders.
The leaders of the Halls were subsequently accused of having masterminded the meetings of their Junior Common Room (JCR) members to pass the vote of no confidence in the SRC executives in a manner that the school's authorities said was contrary to laid-down rules and regulations of the school.
The three student leaders have been reportedly served with letters this semester spelling out the disciplinary measures that had been taking against them.
Students have expressed their frustrations and anger against what they perceive as an attempt by the University authorities to gag and prevent them from exercising their right of removing their own leaders from office if such leaders failed to act in accordance with the students' constitution or when they failed to perform.
Speaking to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity, a number of students also said they saw the current disciplinary action taken against the student leaders as an unjustified interference by the authorities in students' affairs.
Meanwhile, the paper gathered that there would be an explosive students' press conference to be held in the dinning hall of the Commonwealth Hall today, during which student leaders would be registering their protest against the decision of the authorities.
"In fact, we have served notice that if the authorities refuse to rescind their decision, they should not blame any student for any subsequent unrest on the campus of the University," a student told the paper.
It was also gathered that a student group calling itself, Mass Resistance Committee, has served the Legon police with a notice seeking clearance to stage a demonstration tomorrow to protest what they consider as unfair treatment meted out to the student leaders and other related matters affecting the welfare of students of the University.
The dean of students, Dr. B. Yakubu, could not be contacted for his comments on the matter as the paper was told he was out of the office at the time of our visit to the University campus and his two mobile phones were either switched off or out of coverage area.
When contacted, the Acting Director of Public Affairs of the University, Mr. Peter Yarquah, said he could not speak on the issue and advised that the registrar be contacted instead.