"Percher" Takes Legon SRC to Court

A THIRD year undergraduate of the external degree centre, that is with the Workers College of the University of Ghana, Kwateboi Owoo, has sued the Students' Representative Council (SRC) of the university for disallowing him to contest for secretaryship of the SRC.

Consequently, the Accra High Court has issued a writ banning the SRC from holding this year's elections until the case has been heard. As a result of this, the elections which were originally scheduled for last Thursday, April 3, did not take place.

According to Mr. Owoo, since he is a resident student of Commonwealth Hall, and votes for others, he does not see why he cannot be voted for. The Electoral Commission of the SRC, on the other hand, argues that Mr. Owoo is a non-resident and, as such, does not qualify to contest for any position as stipulated by the SRC constitution.

Article 29, Clause 1, subsection A of the SRC Constitution states that "a student shall not be qualified for elections to any executive office, unless he or she has resided in any of the halls of residence in the university for at least one academic year," a source disclosed to Chronicle. Consequently, Mr. Owoo does not qualify because he was for some time only 'perching' which is not recognized by the university.

Students who fail to obtain residence status in any of the halls, but illegally arrange with friends to put up with them in any hall of residence, are considered perchers. Chronicle was informed by the university EC that Owoo 'perched' when he was in the first and second years of his four-year course.

Currently he is in his third year, and has gained admission into residence but has been in the residence for less than a year.

Nonetheless Kwateboi Owoo is contending that certain portions of the constitution should be reviewed as they are obsolete and not relevant to contemporary times.

A disturbed student told Chronicle that one Kuuku Yankah, presidential running mate was also disqualified in this year's elections on the same grounds that Owoo was.

Since the SRC constitution was drawn up many years ago, when the students opted to be either resident or nonresident, it has not been reviewed to make provision for those who are now compelled by circumstances beyond their control to be non-resident, the disturbed student added.

A number of students Chronicle spoke to described Owoo's legal action as a welcome piece of news - as it will serve the interest of some people who could occupy positions but are unjustifiably denied for no fault of theirs. Other students described the action as uncalled for since it would unnecessarily delay the electoral process.