JOURNALISTS, KNUST STAFF TAKE COVER AS STUDENTS GO ON RAMPAGE

What was supposed to be a peaceful protest March by students of the Kwame

Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, in Kumasi today, rather

turned out to be very violent. Apart from an extensive damage caused to university

property, at least 16 vehicles belonging to some staff at the University's

administration were also severely damaged by the rampaging students. 

The SRC of the KNUST last Saturday issued a statement asking all students of the

university to boycott lectures on Monday, October 22 in an apparent reaction to a

confrontation that allegedly ensued between some student residents of the University

Hall commonly known as Katanga Hall and the internal security officials of the

University last Friday night. 

The security officials are reported to have subjected the students to physical abuse for

allegedly converging on the campus for a vigil contrary to a ban on such activities. In

the process, at least, one male student who was injured was hospitalized at the KNUST

Hospital while others were briefly detained at the TEK Police Station. This is what

apparently infuriated the students who, subsequently decided to undertake a peaceful

protest March on campus and also to boycott lectures today to show their disapproval

about what they claim is a dictatorial regime. 

The protest, at the instance of the SRC, begun peacefully from the Africa Hall but as

the procession progressed through the designated routes, it turned violent. The

situation degenerated when they got to their final destination, which is the frontage of

the Central Administration. 

The rampaging students broke the glass to gain access to the premises before damaging

any property they found around. As the rioting protesters went haywire, staff at the

administration began running for their lives. At a point, it took the intervention of a

policeman to set free a lecturer from the grips of one the rampaging students who

however seized and smashed the lecturer's mobile phone. In the end, at least 16 private

vehicles belonging to some staff of the University were badly damaged while the

Central Administration was also not spared. Some of the students who spoke to

Ashanti Today though were in support of a dialogue among the students and

management of the university, expressed regret about the turn of events.

In an interview, the Public Relations Officer of the KNUST,  Kwame Yeboah, also

expressed regret about the incident and suspected that, with the sequence of issues

following the implementation of a new management decision to convert the Katanga

Hall into a mixed gender one, there could be an undercurrent cause of the violence. Mr.

Yeboah said the injured student in last Friday night's students/security officials brawl is

responding positively to medical treatment at the KNUST Hospital while those who

were detained by the TEK Police have all been released. 

On the suspected arson at the East Wing of the Katanga Hall a week ago, the PRO said

investigations are underway as a suspect has been identified. Meanwhile, there is still a

combined force of police and the military have been detailed to protect life and

property at the University. The management is also expected to meet to take a decision

on the Way forward for the University.