University mayhem

Legon, Accra (Statesman) -- RIOT troops clashed with students from the University of Ghana, Legon on campus yesterday, as security forces raided the only male university residence searching for evidence of an alleged kidnapping plot.

As a small group of officers burst into students' rooms, at least 18 officers in full riot gear, including tear gas and body armour, faced off against the angry crowd outside of Commonwealth Hall - also known as Vandal City.

The officers emerged from the hall with at least one computer belonging to former Hall President Benjamin Akyena. Authorities suspect Akyena of threatening the school"s Vice-Chancellor unless officials abandon a plan to limit on-campus residence to Level 100 students in the new 'In-out-out-out’ residence policy.

The unsigned letter from the "Militant African Youth Against Neo-colonialism” said Vice-Chancellor Clifford Nii Tagoe and his family could be victims of “acid-attacks”, arson and “kidnapping”.For most of the confrontation the two sides remained separated as the students contented themselves with singing and chanting at the officers.

However, things turned violent when after marching the security forces back to their bus, some students threw rocks at the officers. While other members of the crowd called for calm, the rocks continued to fall, driving the officers away.

The “Vandals” than rallied around Akyena, and began a mostly peaceful march on the Dean’s office, although at least two campus signs were damaged, and one truck carrying Pepsi to a nearby shop was looted.

The students gathered at the Dean’s office shouting anti-administration slogans. Several see the controversial housing plan as an excuse to break up Vandal City, long considered a hotbed of student activism. One student, who wished to remain anonymous said "they know freshers [first year students] will be too afraid to question authority".

That fear also gripped many of the older Vandals. Most students refused to be identified by The Statesman, saying they could be "victimised" by police or school officials if their objection to the housing plan was known.

The legality of the raid was brought into question by several observers. Several witnesses of the event claimed the police had no warrant. While current Hall President Evans Owusu Amankwah said the officers claimed they were members of the Bureau of National Investigations, (meaning they would not need a warrant), they refused to provide any identification to confirm their claim.

And some witnesses claimed the police intended to arrest Akyena but were dissuaded by the students’ "quick response". Members of the hall were worried officers had taken the computer as a "back-up plan" and would instead "doctor [Akyena’s] computer" to incriminate the former Hall President.

The new housing plan will see Level 400 students forced out of residence, in favour of Level 100 students. Currently, both Level 100 or 400 students are permitted to live in residence. However, in practice rooms meant for four residents will often contain at least twice that amount due to the number of "illegal" Level 200 and 300 students on hand. Many Commonwealth Hall members say they prefer the cramped conditions to knowing fellow Vandals may be homeless.

"I am a Vandal, this is for the sake of unity," said Alex, a Level 400 student who joined the march even though he will graduate before the new plan is put into effect.

The residence problem has been caused by a rapidly growing population at the University which has exploded from just under 5,000 in 1996 to almost six times that amount today. The problems caused by the runaway growth have been exacerbated by the fact the university offers only short-term leases to on-campus hostel operators. Critics of the policy say the 10 to 15 year leases serve to both scare away potential hostel operators, and forces those who do lease to charge steep prices.

Indeed students say it costs on average "between ¢6 and ¢7m a year" to live in an on-campus hostel. That compares to roughly ¢1m at Commonwealth Hall.

Some residents say that difference could force them to drop out as they have no family in Accra, and would be unable to afford to live in the city, while others said even if they managed to find cheaper off-campus housing they would face multi-hour commutes.

The students claim they have been given insufficient notice of the planned change, and say the university has done nothing to help students find affordable housing options.

In reaction to the Legon incident and a similar planned demonstration in the University of Cape Coast, the National Union of Ghana Students is calling for "an immediate cessation of agitations, riots and demonstrations". NUGS says it is using "all legitimate means" to resolve the dispute, although it condemned University officials for their "non-compromising" stance.