GBA Breaks Silence On KNUST Impasse; Condemns Students

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has finally weighed into the recent happenings at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), condemning the action of the students.

“We would urge the students to pursue their ambitions and education without violating the law,” a statement jointly signed by National President Anthony Forson Jnr and National Secretary Yaw Acheampong Boafo said.

The Bar called on Ghanaian students, in general, and those at KNUST particularly “to refrain from acts of vandalism in future”.

The students had cited brutalities at the hands of the KNUST internal security as reason for the ill-fated demonstration on Monday, October 22.

They claim that is the immediate cause for the action.

The GBA expressed its sympathies to the students who were manhandled and injured.

“We have had cause in the past, as an Association, to condemn persons who attack citizens or persons irrespective of the reason and we consequently restate our condemnation issued on 29th June 2018 and 21st July 2018 respectively.”

For now, government has reached a decision to have the Governing Council of the university reconstituted by its Chancellor, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, within five days.

School, which was closed down on the day of demonstration, is expected to resume by Thursday, November 8, 2018.

KNUST students to resume school Nov 8
“While we appreciate the government’s wish to ensure that tranquility and a congenial atmosphere is restored on the University campus to enhance the pursuit of education, the GBA strongly cautions that every act be in consonance with the law.

“The GBA therefore calls upon the government to resolve the impasse at KNUST within the confines of the law and in accordance with the statutes of the University.”