Vice President advises vandals against violence

Accra, May 5, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday advised students of Commonwealth Hall of University of Ghana to use dialogue and negotiations to solve their grievances with the university authorities and avoid violence on campus.

"Vandalism is not anarchism, it is a tradition that has over the years promoted accountability in the university and I will urge you to postpone your demonstrations as the old vandals and your current leadership dialogued with the university authorities to redress your issues," he said. Vice President Mahama gave the advice when leadership of Commonwealth Junior Common Room (JCR) members called on him in his office to lay bare their grievances against closing down of the Hall to be converted into a mixed post-graduate hall later.

The Vice President, an old vandal, said he was shocked about the developments on campus adding: "I am sure that negotiations the old vandals are going to hold with the university authorities would yield dividends". He urged them to present their petition to Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information for response and reactions from the Presidency.

Mr. Wonder Madjido, President of National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) said the decision to convert Commonwealth Hall into a mixed Post-Graduate Hall had the intention of curtailing powers of students all over the country and should therefore be nib in the bud. He said over 3,000 students would be rendered "homeless" if the Hall was allowed to be closed down for re-designing as a mixed post-graduate hall and called for government intervention before it went off-hand. Mr Joshua Larry, President of Commonwealth Hall JCR said they would use negotiations, demonstrations and other acceptable means to ensure that the decisions of university authorities were nullified.

There has been strained relationship with students of Commonwealth Hall of University of Ghana since the authorities announced that it would be closed down and later converted into a mixed post-graduate hall. While the students see it as a means of curtailing their powers, university authorities think it is part of their reform programmes on campus and should therefore be accepted.