Don’t Interfere In KNUST Internal Affairs - TEWU Warns Gov’t

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) branch of the Tertiary Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), has staged a mammoth demonstration in Kumasi to register their displeasure over what they said was government’s interference in the internal affairs of the University.

They described as inappropriate and unlawful the recent dissolution of the University’s Governing Council without recourse to laid-down statutes.

The Government announced the dissolution of the Council last week and replaced it with an Interim Council, following disturbances at the University, which led to its indefinite closure.

This was after some aggrieved students went on the rampage to protest against their alleged maltreatment by the University authorities.

Mr. Charles Arthur, Spokesperson for the KNUST-TEWU, speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the three-hour protest, said the University Act and statutes provided for an adequate mechanism to deal with any impasse emerging internally.

“We are, therefore, against the imposition of any Interim Council since it is a travesty of the University’s own rules and regulations,” he observed.

The Union, he said, was demanding a reversal of the government’s decision and the Governing Council re-instated, stressing that they would soon embark on strike if their demands were not considered.

“What we are witnessing at the University currently amounted to a coup d’etat since it compromised on our autonomy. It is a dangerous step taken by the government,” Mr. Arthur insisted.