KNUST protest a necessary evil; we won’t pay for damages – SRC Executive

• Posted on October 23, 2018
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

An executive of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), believes Monday’s violent protest in the school was the only way to drum home their concerns.

According to the executive who spoke on condition of anonymity, no alternative action would have compelled the management to put an end to its abuse to students.

The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has closed KNUST down indefinitely in the wake of the students’ unrest which led to the destruction of public and private properties.

But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, the executive said although the intended peaceful demonstration turned violent, the students had had enough of management’s insensitivity.

“For some time, management run the school without giving credence to students’ leadership. They disregard us in a way and we are just disgruntled. So what happened yesterday was a necessary evil. Let us admit that.”

The executive also absolved the students from any blame for the acts of vandalism adding that the student front will not bear any cost for the destruction.

“If there are any damages the student representative front is not going to pick up or absorb any such cost. It is not our responsibility for causing any damage.”

He attributed the development to what he said were tensions.

“We put out a message for a peaceful march. What ensued was obviously unforeseen. We were going to present a petition and when things escalated there was no one from administration to present it to. Even though we regret what happened, things escalated because of tension in the school.”

KNUST students petrol-bombed five rooms – Management

Some students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), about two weeks ago petrol-bombed some five rooms in the University Hall also known as Katanga, authorities of the school have said.

According to the Assistant Registrar at KNUST’s Public Relations Office, James Kwasi Oberko, the incident occurred on October 12, 2018.

“The morale session ended around 12 midnight. Then at 2:30 am on Saturday morning, some unknown assailants through the use of petrol bombs burnt five rooms at the east wing of the University Hall. And the university authority reported to the police. We called in our on-campus fire service to come and control the fire and the case was handed over to the police. As a result of this, there was the need to review security measures at University Hall specifically,” he added in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday.

The SRC executive could not deny or confirm the petrol bombing incident when he was asked.

‘VC must be blamed for everything’- KNUST alumni lawyer

A lawyer and an alumnus of the University Hall, KNUST, who led the suit against the conversion of the hall into a mixed-sex hall, Stephen Asante Bekoe, is blaming the recent violent protests at the University on what he describes as a systematic failure from the school’s authorities.

Speaking on Citi TV’s major news bulletin, Citi Newsroom, Mr. Asante Bekoe said the protests were not only a result of the brutalization of students by the School’s security but also due to other unfavourable decisions taken by the including the Vice-Chancellor.

“I blame the Vice-Chancellor, for everything happening now and I must be honest,” he said.

Items destroyed during the violence

Management in what they termed as unsolicited and unprovoked attacks, also presented an official breakdown of items destroyed as follows:

1. 30 vehicles belonging to the staff of the university have been burnt.
2. The reception of the main administrative block, the office of the dean of students, finance office and the offices of the university relations and security offices were demolished.
3. The official vehicle of the Dean of Student Affairs was destroyed.
4. 14 motorbikes of campus security officers have been vandalised.
5. Laptops, mobile phones, ladies’ handbag and the other items in offices which were broken into were ransacked.
6. Access and controlled gates were also destroyed.