Tollbooth saga: Are the military days back with us? – Prof Yankah

Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana and current President of the Central University College (CUC), Prof. Kwesi Yankah, has wondered if the days of military rule are returning to Ghana.

His concern follows the unilateral destruction of a tollbooth at the entrance of the University of Ghana by the national security outfit.


National Security Coordinator, Larry Gbevlo Lartey, has explained that the booth needed to be pulled down because it was sited at the wrong place and was a threat to human security, as well as caused congestion.


He justified the demolishing by saying that is the language the security at the University understood and so they needed to deal with the issue in such terms.


Commenting on the matter on his facebook wall, Prof Yankah said the event was reminiscent of the military days.


Below is Prof Yankah’s full comment


Welcoming back the military

I just returned from the Legon campus, and saw to my horror, a heap of concrete rubble, piled up at the Okponglo entrance of the University. Small crowds had stopped to look, and passers-by were peering in consternation. Was this an act of God? An over-zealous AMA at work? Then I heard whispers.


Apparently, a demolition squad had been at work at the dawn of Monday. They had worked at it early morning, and reduced the new tollbooth to a pile of debris.


I later read a warning message from Col. Gbevlo Lartey, the Security Coordinator: if Legon dares to raise the structure, it will be demolished again!


That does not sound like the democratic Ghana we all knew. Where did we lose the charming courtesies in dialogue, compromise, and respect for the rule of law?


Of what relevance is a tollbooth to national security? Are we back to the days of instant justice? Come on Ghana. Is anybody in control?