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.
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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).
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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.
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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.