Students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) are asking for an extension of the time given by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) to vacate the campus.
In a statement from the ARCC signed by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, students are to vacate campus by mid-day of Saturday, 18 September 2021.
This according to the ARCC follows intelligence picked up by campus security of an intended disturbance on the eve of vacation.
Students in the school have lamented what they term as an “impossibility” in vacating the campus a day after their final paper, taking into consideration the fact that they will have to find alternative places to pack out to as the academic year closes.
“It is impossible for all of us to vacate this premises on Saturday, many people come from far”, a student bemoaned.
“Asking students to leave just a day after exams is just too soon because most students will not even know where to keep their belongings so we will need more time to figure out where to put our stuff, pack, wash and go” another student added.
“When I read the green paper going around, I felt that it was too early because Saturday by 12, people had plans, even SCC has a program, School of Prayer, which will end on Sunday so students had plans of leaving on Monday or Sunday evening, it will affect the program and then it will affect our plans, some people are in Accra, some are going with flights, it will affect all these schedules”, another fresher lamented.
Meanwhile, the Student Representative Council (SRC) of the KNUST has supported the order from the ARCC.
According to the SRC president, Samuel Sesah said the security of the students is paramount, adding, “The meeting that decided that students should leave on Saturday by noon had the SRC representing, and the main reason that led to such a decision was prioritising the interest in safety of our students, as an SRC. That is what we also look forward to, that everybody will come to school and have education in freedom and would be able to have an academic life devoid of any uncertainties.”
Sesah added, “When it came up that such and intelligence has been picked up, together with REGSEC we decided that there should be heavy security presence on the university campus and all students should be made to go home.”
He said the SRC has received petitions from some groups of students to allow them to stay on campus for further advancement of academic-related issues, and plans are being made for such.
However, the management of KNUST is yet to officially inform students of the new development.
Information gathered on campus has it that the “planned disturbance” stems from the long rivalry existing between the two former male halls, Unity Hall and University Hall.
BACKGROUND
The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council in a statement dated 15 September 2021 ordered all students, with the exception of foreign students to leave the KNUST campus by mid-day 18 September 2021.
The directive is to prevent a planned disturbance on campus on the eve of vacation.
The statement, however, reminded the students that the declaration of KNUST as a security zone is in full force, adding, security will be beefed up on campus to enforce the directive.
The directive, issued by the regional minister and chairman of the ARCC, Simon Osei Mensah warned that any student who foments trouble would be dealt with according to law.
Loretta Timah
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