Heavy security at KNUST after court ruling against Conti, Katanga

• Posted on August 24, 2018
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has deployed armed officers to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to augment the school’s internal security.

This is to avert possible agitations on campus following a court decision to throw out a suit brought against the school by alumni of two of the school’s halls; Unity Hall and University Hallchallenging the conversion of the all-male halls into mixed halls.

As the school begins the admission of freshers for the 2018/2019 academic year, it has started allocating rooms at the previously all-male hall to females, a move the alumni are against.

Female students who have been allocated the Unity and University halls are currently there undergoing processes to secure accommodation, but there are concerns that alumni and students of the affected halls may stage protests over the development hence the additional security arrangements.

Court proceedings

There was heavy police presence at the premises of the court today, Friday, August 24, 2018.

Students and alumni from both halls had massed up at the court premises to witness the hearing of the case.

Justice Samuel Obeng Diawuo, who presided over the case explained that the applications came after the University had allocated accommodation to students who had admissions hence the case cannot be considered.

The Judge also explained that granting the request by the plaintiffs will cause inconvenience for fresh students who had already secured accommodation at the University.

Lead counsel of the Katanga Hall, Stephen Asante Bekoe in addressing journalists after the ruling, disagreed with court’s explanations as reasons for quashing the case.

He hinted that they will proceed to the Supreme Court for a proper interpretation of the matter.

Intervene with the conversion of halls impasse – KNUST SRC petitions Nana Addo

The Students Representatives Council of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) had earlier petitioned the office of the president, Nana Akufo-Addo urging him to intervene in the current impasse over the conversion of halls into mixed at the school.

The SRC claimed several pleas to the school’s authorities to rescind the decision failed hence the petition.

“By this petition, we ask that you intervene in the matter to get the University to have a review on issues thus far, and get the best result which will favor the entire student populace,” a section of the petition pleaded.

No more single-sex halls, KNUST converts all into mixed

Authorities of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), on August 15, 2018, announced the conversion of all traditional halls of the school into mixed halls.

The halls include the all-female hall, Africa Hall.

This means that, with effect from the 2018/19 academic year, all six halls of residence of the University have been converted into mixed halls.

According to management of the university, it took the decision “in line with the university’s policy of periodic review of Residential Accommodation for students.”

It noted that “the University’s policy of expanding access to female students remain unchanged.”