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KNUST: Otumfuo promises to quicken processes for reconstitution of Council

By Mutala Yakubu
KNUST
Otumfuo promises to quicken processes for reconstitution of KNUST Council
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The Asantehene Otumfuo, Osei Tutu II, who is the Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has pledged to fasten the process to constitute the University's governing Council according to reports.


KNUST is currently shut down due to an impasse between students and the University's authorities.

It was due for reopening on November 8, 20,18 but that did not happen as the governing council is yet to be reconstituted.

The process to reconstitute a new board stalled because the was a conflict between the government and the labour unions who wanted old members of the defunct council to be part of the new one which the government has declined so far.

A source at Manhyia Palace says the Chancellor yesterday met alumni and current executives of the University and Unity halls to get firsthand information on the genesis of the disturbances at the University.

The source says the Asantehene after the discussions also met executives of the Students Representative Council and called on all stakeholders to help in repairing the bruised image of the University.

The Chancellor has also indicated he will expedite processes to reconstitute the University’s Governing Council for academic work to resume.

Background

On October 22, this year, there was an outbreak of violence and destruction of property following a demonstration of students of KNUST campus in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

Following that, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) took a decision to shut down the university and also imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the university campus.

The students, who went on a peaceful demonstration against the ‘tyrannical’ style of the university administration, turned violent, leading to the massive destruction of property worth about Ghc1.7million.

The demonstration was also intended to express grave concern over the use of force by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kwasi Obiri Danso, to cow them into submission.

Before the demonstration, 11 students of the University Hall (Katanga) who had participated in the usual entertainment programme (otherwise called moral session) of the hall on Friday, October 19 were allegedly brutalised and arrested by the university’s internal security men and handed over to the KNUST Police Station, where they were detained.

Moral sessions are processions of students, usually on campus, amid singing and dancing, and are very common with the all-male halls of residence.

Read also:KNUST: Reopening uncertain as Council is yet to be formed

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