President to receive report on KNUST disturbances

By Stephen Asante, GNA     

Kumasi, Oct. 24, GNA – The Ministry of
Education (MoE) is to present an official report, relating to the recent
disturbances at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), to
the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,.

Ghana’s premier science and technology
university was on Monday October 22, 2018, closed down, by the Ashanti Regional
Security Council (REGSEC) in Kumasi, in consultation with the Authorities of
the University, as some aggrieved demonstrating students went on the rampage in
solidarity with eleven (11) colleagues allegedly assaulted and arrested by the
University’s security personnel over the week-end. 

Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, Minister of
Education, said they had heard from all the feuding factions and in line with
protocol, the Presidency would have to be briefed on what actually transpired.

He was briefing the media in Kumasi after an
emergency stakeholders’ meeting, which had in attendance the Bantamahene,
Baffour Asare Owusu, representing the Asantehene and Chancellor of KNUST,
Otunfuo Osei Tutu II.

It brought together representatives from all
interested parties, including the Minister in-charge of National Security, Mr.
Albert Kan-Dapaah, members of the University Council and Students’
Representative Council (SRC). 

Dr. Opoku-Prempeh said the government had
stepped up efforts to finding a lasting solution to the issue for smooth
academic activities.

KNUST had in recent time been embroiled in
turmoil, following violent clashes between the student body and authorities
over what the former describes as unwarranted brutalities meted out to
students.

The feud heightened last Monday when some of
the aggrieved students took to the streets on the campus, protesting vehemently
about the University’s alleged manhandling of some of their colleagues.

What was supposed to have been a peaceful
demonstration turned violent when the aggrieved protestors mounted road blocks
and decided to destroy everything in sight.

They set fire on some of the
University-branded vehicles, and also smashed windscreens, billboards and
property running into thousands of Cedis.

A combined team of the military and police had
since been deployed to take charge of security on the campus.

GNA

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