THE VICE Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. C. N. B. Tagoe has allegedly threatened among other things to withhold the final certificate and results of one student activist, Benjamin Akyena Bantuo, a former President of the Junior Common Room (JCR) Commonwealth Hall who has been in detention for weeks over issues of disagreeing with the Chancellor's decision to prohibit all forms of student's gathering and also being a threat to national security.
According to the activist, he received a letter from the Chancellor before his detention at the Police Headquarters that threatened to deny him of his certificate and results over the said issues which he believes has not been presented to the Disciplinary Committee of the University for investigation contrary to standing procedure in the University's statues.
At a press conference, he disclosed that his detention was calculated to ensure that he does not get the opportunity to write his exams to help achieve the commitment of the University authorities to deny him a degree.
His run with the University's authorities and the Police started as part of a scheme to destabilize the student movement and control students to the point where the authorities could do as they wish.
"As part of this scheme, personnel of the Ghana Police Service threw me out of my residence early in my administration as the President of the JCR Commonwealth Hall with other leaders in Akuafo and Volta hall and have since been deprived of my personnel belongings," he said.
He condemned the May 3 publication of the Ghanaian Times, a report in which the Director General of CID, Mr. David Asante Apieatu declared him as been on the Police wanted list for a very long period of time and as such was used by the authorities to create the impression that he was a risk to national security.
Mr. Bantuo noted that the administration of Prof. Tagoe has consistently used the police as a suppressive instrument to frighten students into inaction and subdue them anytime they had disagreements with his policies leading to the banned of all forms of students' gathering.
"The Chancellors intervening in SRC elections and the rampant incidences of the use of the Police in settling disagreement on policy are occurring in less than a year into his administration are a sign of bad leadership therefore demanding government immediate intervention until it becomes too late.
According to the activist, the intimidation of students has not in any way discouraged their determination to see to the defeat of the in-out-out-out residential policy but renewed their commitment to see to the end of it other exploitative and repressive policies and actions operating at the University.
The argument of the University wanting to implement this policy has been the lack of funds to commit to students accommodations but for this reason he said is short sighted and unacceptable owing to huge negative impact this policy would have on the academic work of students and frustrate attempts at uniting and bridging the gab between the various ethnic groups in the country which will achieve an ultimate national unity.
He said that the peace and unity Ghanaians enjoy today in contrast to the chaos in some West African countries could not have been possible without the forward looking policy of Nkrumah to ensure that anyone irrespective of the background have an equal opportunity to develop their potential.
The former President stated their intention to organize seminars, debate, rallies, provide the needed platform for the needed discussions, protest and mass actions aimed at ensuring that their voice are heard and that the country operates education policies that addresses its strategic national interest.
He announced the establishment of the 'Akyena Brantuo Benjamin Foundation For Progressive Youth' to fight against injustice and human rights violations of students and youth leaders.
He said it is formed in response to growing criminalisation of free thinking, progressive activism and social opposition to public policy that tends to entrench a system of patronage that attempt to sacrifice their common good to ensure the privileges of the few who are well connected.
